The Way Home
by Luscinia Evan
Summary: — Is far far away, and doesn't necessarily be filled with flowers and sunshine. It's blood, sweat, and even tears. But even so, I'll still keep walking. OC Self-Insert
1. I Tumble down the Stairs

Chapter 1

I tumble down the Stairs

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I blinked.

That wasn't what I had expected when I fell down the stairs. No pain, no agony, no broken bones whatsoever. So I rubbed my eyes and sat up.

"Hana! Where are you?"

And it was then I started to scan my surroundings.

I was in some sort of clearing in a forest. Huh. Some weird places to woke up. Minutes later, I heard rustling of leaves, a sign that someone was getting near.

"There you are, Hana." And I unconsciously inclined my head with a curious tilt, finding the person to be a young boy not possibly older than 10. "What are you doing here? I thought I've told you never to go into the forest?"

I was puzzled. And I had good reason too. Imagine waking up after you'd fallen off some flight of stairs and finding yourself in a forest-like place.

And adding to all that shit, you had a stranger, a young boy, wearing strange clothes, talking to you as if you were his younger sister or something.

I, for all my idiocy, had enough sense to know that I was at least 15 years of age.

"Who–" I started, but before I could even end the sentence, I found my voice weird.

Since when is my voice so shrill?

I glanced down, a instantaneous thought to check myself, and immediately, I noticed three main things.

One, I was a girl. It wouldn't have matter much, but when I stare at myself (that sounded so wrong), I realised that... I seemed younger.

Two, I was also wearing strange clothes, which was of a similar fashion to the stranger I just met.

Thirdly... This body wasn't mine.

I know it was weird, but inspecting myself closely, I couldn't find the calloused areas on my hands, or the small scar which was a result of some injection I took during... Who knows when. I was shorter than what I would have expected, and I never had blond hair.

And my name was definitely not 'Hana' or anything close.

Let me reorganise my thought. Okay, it had been a normal day in school, until I got accidentally pushed off the stairs, which was kind scary, because my school had really loooonnngg stairs.

Ouch. Thinking about it hurts.

I guessed it was best to play along with the flow.

"Sorry," I said, trying to sound meek, like my physical age.

The boy looked a bit startled, "anything happened, sister?"

Inwardly, I hid a snigger. At least I'd found out my supposed relationship with this child.

"I just had a bad dream, that's all." I explained, continue sounding meek, "a really bad dream."

"That's okay," he assured, like how a big brother should, and offered me his hand. "C'mon, let's go home."

And I took the hand.

* * *

At the end of the day, I reached several conclusion.

First and foremost, I could tell that I no longer was in my own world. With those Chocobos (Final Fantasy reference) running around, and those strange cultures and all, it was either I had teleported into some unknown corners of Earth, which was kind of impossible because I trusted those satellites.

Another thing was that I was no longer in my own body. Actually, I had already establish that. But now I actually knew about this... Girl's body I was in. Well, she was from a clan. No really shocking? Wait till you get the real thing.

Oh, and final thing. I was in the Hunter x Hunter world.

Yeah, the last one was really a bomb.

* * *

Apparently, this Hana person had a disease which was like a time-bomb, because it could happen randomly, something like a heart attack. And I made the conclusion that she had died in the forest, and when I fell down the stairs, my soul went to her body and stuck there or something.

I really had weird tendencies to come up with strange theories.

The reason, well, can actually be narrowed down into one: my supposed brother, Pario, had a friend named Kurapika. And we were all in the Kuruta Clan.

Yeah, I was guessing I was gonna be pretty screwed.

* * *

Kurapika was 17 when the story started. And four years prior would be the Kuruta Clan Massacre, making him 13 during that time. So, doing a quick calculation, I realised I had around 3 years.

Which was too short.

My brother, Pario, was the best friend of Kurapika apparently. Actually, strictly speaking, his only friend was Kurapika. The Kuruta Clan was quite small, thus there wasn't a lot of children in our age group. Couple who bore more than one children had problems with the younger siblings. One such example would be Hana and Pario.

Hana, the girl who and and whose body got took over by me, had been very sick with disease, so sick that she had to lie on the crib every day (she was only 4, for goodness sake!). She worried her whole family. Once, Pario tried to find a certain herb in the forest rumoured to be a cure for all illness, but instead got himself harmed due to poisonous pollens which invaded his eyes. And then, he rolled off an edge and crippled his legs because of his blinded eyes at that time.

Ever since then, Pario had an illness.

So I decided to train, at least be up to a regular Hunter's standard, because the Phantom Troupe would be out for our (Kuruta, I meant) eyes.

That kind of explained how I ended up lying on the ground, dirty and soaked in sweat and other unidentified stuff.

I guessed that in the story, Hana had died or something. But since some people up there decided to screw with my life, I had been attached to her body.

"It... It's a miracle!" I recalled the voice of a strange man in white lab coat, adjusting his specs and staring at me in amazement. "There's absolutely no signs of the illness. Congratulations!"

And that, about summed it up. I no longer had that disease.

Which was, really, just an extension to my death date, unless during the day of the Kuruta Massacre I was in damn hell lot of luck.

With the new motivation, I forced myself up and continued another round of training sets.

Just gonna wing it.

* * *

**Hello people:D**

**So, err yeah I started a new fic. Please don't kill me **

**_Grandchild of Aladdin would be in make-over, either that or I'll continue writing In a really slow pace. (so sorry guys, I feel like I've cheated you or something!)_**

**Recently, I've watched Hunter x Hunter, so I've decide to write this, hope you can stick with me throughout the whole story.**

**Note their ages:**

**Hana: 4**

**Kurapika: 10**

**Pario: 10**


	2. I Make a Deal

Chapter 2

I make a Deal

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I was seated on top of a rock. On top of a rock at the summit of a hill, the only hill near the Kuruta Village.

"There you are," a familiar voice called out.

I opened my eyes to find a panting Kurapika.

I had been meditating around a month after my arrival in the HxH world. I had wrote all the events down in a notebook and memorised them, then burning the notebook somewhere no one could have witnessed. Every night, I would chant those events mentally, like a silent prayer, before I sleep.

(In a way, they _were_ a prayer. They were the only things which could help me in this world.)

According to those information, meditation was the key to succeeding nen. I had tested the water-and-leaf thing a while ago, and wasn't really surprised I had came off as specialization. Then again, you could really expect nothing less than a teen stuck in a child's body in another world.

Snapping from my musings, I leapt and landed on the ground on all fours, a skill I had learned from... (you can laugh now... Can't blame me though.) _Cats_.

Inwardly, I steered clear off another mental rant (cats are _soooo_ cute, and I'm _so_ honoured to copy their technics. And I still remember... ) and instead focused on the young Kurapika before me.

"Hello, what's up?" I cheerfully greeted him, giving him a casual wave.

Kurapika rolled his eyes. "We're all coming to my house to celebrate. It's my birthday, remember?"

Actually, I had totally forgotten that. And I wisely kept my mouth shut while secretly formulating a plan to get some one-of-a-kind birthday present.

He would be 13 after this. And I felt myself stiffened. Kurapika cast me a puzzled look and I shrugged it off, telling him to lead the way.

He was going to be 13. _Spiders gonna attack soon._

* * *

"Hana, go and buy something for Kurapika, okay?"

"Yes, mum."

* * *

I had took the village-leaving test along with Kurapika, knowing that it would be inevitable. I had managed to convince Pario brother to take too, and he only passed after the re-test.

I had been doing groceries since then.

The adults were very well aware of my skills. They had thought it was the disease which burdened me, so they didn't really cared about the sudden increase in both mental and physical skill. On occassions, I had dumbed myself down, especially in public where there was a lot of people (not that the clan was that big) and resisted the urge to just outrun the older teens in a game of tag.

I wasn't with Kurapika when his eyes turned scarlet in front of the townspeople, so I was allowed into this town to buy stuff, an advantage over others who had to be careful keeping their identities a secret.

I strolled through the markets in town, but none seemed to sell what I desired.

"Hello, Hana, need anything?" The woman behind that counter smiled upon me, a regular customer.

"Are there eye contacts?"

"This way, please." And she led me through some corridors.

That's right. The gift I had in mind was coloured eye contacts.

It took me less than 10 minutes to find the right eye contact for Kurapika, and less than a minute, money traded hands and I was carrying the pair of contacts, setting foot back to the village.

* * *

"Aaaaannnnddd, you can stop following me now," I drawled. "I could sense you, you know?"

A figure appeared behind the trunk of a tree, one hand scratching the back of the head in a sheepish manner.

"I still don't get how you always win at hide-and-seek..." Kurapika muttered, then raised his voice. "I was just curious about what you're giving me!"

I chuckled at his protest, but nonetheless passed him the small box.

"Eye... Contacts?"

"Because Kura-nii is too short-tempered!" I teased. "Try them on."

He complied, pushing the coloured lens into his eye before blinking, testing it out.

"It feels a bit weird," he trailed.

I only smiled, eyes looking at the direction of the village.

It was then, I felt something so _wrong_.

"Ne, Kura-nii, does your party involves campfire?"

At his puzzled look, my senses instantly tensed up, my brain working overdrive.

Smoke. There was smoke in the village. It was Kurapika's birthday. He was 13 when _it_ happened.

_He was certainly 13 now._

"Oh damn it!" I hissed, before darting off at top speed towards the village.

I hardly noticed Kurapika following behind me.

* * *

When I reached the entrance of the Kuruta Village, it was already half burnt and the other half still burning. Lifeless bodies littered the ground and there was red everywhere. On the buildings, on the people (corpses, a voice in my head corrected) and on the skies.

I believed there was a red tint in my eyes too.

I kicked off, sprinting towards the one block of familiar building.

_You better not die, brother. I haven't tell you the truth yet._

It was one thing to see a street full of strangers who died at your feet, and yet another thing to see a street full of your own relatives. Granted, we weren't really bonded by blood, at least not the way I would have seen it, but they had, over the span of three years, grown a special place in my heart.

There was Aunt Pina who made delicious traditional Kuruta buns. There was Uncle Shuu who taught me martial arts, who praised me whenever I had done him proud. There was this annoying kid Kapiki who loved to tease me, but we still got along well. And there was the newborn baby — not even a year old — whose name I had forgotten, but his angelic smile would be always in my heart.

There was the postal man, who was always late; the granny with a young heart; the elder who cared for us all.

_And just how is Pario-nii? Where is Papa and Mama? _I felt my teeth dug into the tender flesh of my lips, tasting copper.

A wail of agony made me changed my directions, and before the sword even came down, I had countered it with my own weapon.

There was a tad bit of shock which was allowed into Nobunaga's features, before he skilfully schooled it into a blank one. Cold, emotionless killers. Just like spiders.

I shifted my stance into a defensive one. Behind me, my brother whimpered in pain and misery.

"Hana... Dear imouto-chan..." He groaned.

"Hush, brother mine. Don't talk so much." It came out as a curt, clipped sentence, and it was all weird at the same time, like it wasn't me who said it, but I decided against mulling over such trivial stuff in the midst of a battle.

"A new Kuruta, I see. You are really stupid to run straight into us." Then, his eyes trailed away from mine and he formed one of those humourless smirks. "Another one, I see."

"Shit," I cursed, too preoccupied to even come out with more fanciful words, just when I caught sight of the blond huffing and panting. "Kura-nii?"

"Hana," he paused in favour to catch his breath. "Who are all those people? Why is everyone not moving?"

_Because they're all dead. _It went unsaid.

I gripped my kunai, then recalled one of the many things my shishou taught me, and loosened my grip to a relaxed one.

"Get out of the village," I wanted it to come off as an order, something that no one could defy, but my voice came off in a slight quiver, which I wasn't so sure what caused it.

"We will. Once we get all the eyes, that is."

With that, I charged in a state of calm rage, but then I seemed to snapped to my senses as I remembered what I had planned for this day.

_Never attack any member. Get the survivors and run. Kurapika is priority._

The kunai that was aiming for Nobunaga's throat retreated in a natural arc. Crouching, I gathered Pario in my arms and bolted towards the forest.

_In the forest, there's trees. Trees make it more difficult to attack._

That was what I planned. What I didn't expect, was Pario disappearing from my arms. A second later, I found myself surrounded by another three spiders.

My mind automatically registered: Kuroro, Shalnark, Uvogin. Danger. Run. _Run_.

But at the same time, I felt my eyes heating as I watch, in pure shock and horror, a pair of eyes being gouged out from my mum's socket.

_Mama! _It died in my throat, which seemed too dry and raspy. Was it due to the smoke? Or was it shock?

Pario's eyes already turned red, and even thought he was really a good natured guy, he chomped down on Uvogin with such fierceness in him. However, I knew it was a futile attempt.

With one effortless cut, Pario's head was down, and his eyes already harvested and collected in a container already filled with countless scarlet eyes.

_Countless?_ I believed that was the 36th pair.

I gritted my teeth, suppressing the urge to fight them.

Behind me, Kurapika was a lost child.

I would buy him time to escape, even if it meant my life.

"Kurapika, let's run. We're outnumbered."

I couldn't waste a single second taking my eyes off the Phantom Troupe members, so I trusted that he nodded.

The members, no doubt heard what we'd been talking.

"Nobunaga, you go after the blond child." It was a quite command of the spider's head.

It's impossible to escape.

"Wait, Kura."

And he stopped.

I deflected the strike aimed to kill, my hands shaking from the impact it took, but I paid it no heed. The other spiders already surrounded us. There was no ways of escape.

Kurapika was trembling behind me. Was he scared? Angry?

Definitely angry, I concluded after I saw him picked up two sticks.

While I was more focused on speed, my ninja gear perfect for the job, Kurapika was trained in kenjutsu, him deeming it 'cool and honourable', after I recounted the anime of 'Gintama' during one of our story sharing session.

We stood, back to back, him wanting to avenge his clansmen and me sticking on the hit-and-run.

There was simply no way we could win against them. But my cousin did not know. He was blinded by rage, it was no use trying to reason with him.

I enveloped the two of us in ten, countering the killing intent of the four people. Shalnark came close, but I drew distance from him. After all, one could never be too careful with a body controller, whatever you called that type.

I blinked. _Technically, I'm a body controller too. Does that count?_

That moment of distraction was enough, and Shalnark changed his target. Cursing mentally, I allowed myself to get pierced instead.

_Here goes nothing. I hope I was right about the body controller theory._

I pulled out the bat-shaped needle before he could even check his remote control, and growled, not unlike a wild animal.

A flicker of surprise crossed his face, before he shrugged it off.

Behind me, Kurapika was already moving like a fuming mad beast, hacking and slashing at Uvogin, who seemed to be playing with him.

I stole a glance at Kuroro, and find him smirking at the world as if he was actually enjoying it.

_Screw you!_

And I went straight for the Spider head. He dodged easily with a side-step, his hair flicking into my face. Causing me to wrinkle my nose.

Really, sometimes you could even made the hair flip a move. The hair damage was so damn pain.

Nobunaga slammed my back with the butt of his sword. With a painful gasp, I fell into the ground.

I hope he didn't broke my spine or something. It was a pain to heal last time when I fell down the cliff.

"Do the young lady want to give up now?" He sneered.

"Never!" I declared, and with a battle-cry, stabbed my kunai into where flesh was seen.

He dodged it easily, much like his leader.

_Damn it. It was really useless. We have to run!_

I turned to Kurapika. Finding him, I leapt away from the two super dangerous people who was in my private space.

"Listen, Kura, we needa run. There's no way we can win," I tried.

But it was fruitless.

"Why? They killed our family! They killed everyone! I want revenge!" His lips curled into a snarl, and he held the one stick and one tree-brach (halfway through, one of his sticks broke) in front of him.

And then, the bat needle was pinned into him.

"No! Kura!" I yelled desperately. "You hear me, Kurapika?"

Channeling up all the nen I had, I flickered to Kurapika, and hacked away the offending sharp object.

I found that I was suddenly in the centre of attention.

"Lemme go," he slurred, like an angry drunk. "Lemme go so I can–"

Wordlessly, I chopped down his pressure point, and rendered him unconscious, and laid him down gently onto the ground. I turned around to face the leader.

"... Take me...with you," I wagered, choking the words out. "Leave him alone and take me."

"Ho?"

The Spider's head had a glint in his eyes which I could not decipher.

"You want money, don't you? I'll work for you, and I'll buy the price of our eyes!" I continued aruging, desperately clinging to the straw that was within my grasp. "And he is just a failure in the clan. His eyes would never turn red! But I would do anything you would ask me to, until I pay back the price!"

It was a lie, his eyes were only brown because of the contacts. For once, I was glad that I had not been so useless, after all.

"Then, what if I ask you to die now?"

"I'd gladly do so, but I have to ensure that you would let him go."

It turned into a sort of stare-down, but with all the fire and smoke, I lasted shorter than ten seconds.

Kuroro smirked, threw his head back into a graceful tilt and laughed. I waited for him, eyes trained and muscle tensed.

"Very well."

With that, I felt relief coursing through me and before I could register, I blacked out.

* * *

**And, that's chapter 2, double the length of the first chapter, and me feeling proud about that!**

**I'd always like to read longer chapters, so I'm trying my best to write long chapters for you guys too! I felt so loved after the attention I've received for my first chapter, and I guess I'm too impatient and updated!**

**If anyone have read some nice HxH OC SI, please feel free to state it in the reviews! I'm dying of boredom!**

**_Review Question (Please spare a second and answer it :3)_**

**_What alias/name should I give my character (if it's not Hana) ? Why?_**

* * *

**I guess I would be doing Review Replies, since I also like writers replying to my reviews when I did:)**

**Review Replies:**

**Retz (guest): Haha, thanks:D I felt really happy when I receive your review. Totally gonna continue this fic! As for Hana surviving... I won't be that sure~~~ Cuz all writers are evil when it comes to their OC (evil smirk). Here's an update;)**

**Zuta-chan: Yay thank you. I hope my fic won't decrease in quality as we go :D Here's an update!**

**Thanks to all followers, favourites, and reviewers! You've made my day!**


	3. I Steal a Gem

Chapter 3

I steal a Gem

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When I had finally woke up, I was in their base, and was surprised that they didn't tie me up.

Actually, that would be unnecessary, with all the OP technics they had.

I groaned, rubbing a sore spot on my stomach as I sat up.

"Awake already?" A familiar voice asked.

_Nobunaga_. It almost slipped off my tongue, but I held it in. "Yes, good morning... Or is it afternoon now? How long since I was out?"

"Almost a day," he replied, opening one eye. A quizzical look crossed his face, but this time, he didn't erase it off. "It's evening. Danchou wants a word with you."

"As expected," I sighed, mostly to myself, and followed him out of the run-down room.

* * *

"Hello, child. I see you're awake." Kuroro said, closing the book he had been reading with a soft _thud_ in favour of gaining eye contact with me.

The rest of the Phantom Troupe members were either stationed around him doing mundane stuff or eyeing me with a suspicious look.

I counted 10 members, and I discreetly raised an eyebrow at the new face.

"Do you know Omokage?" Kuroro asked, a smirk on his lips.

_Oh, so his name is Omokage? I think it was the guy who Hisoka replaced._

"No," I said. "What happen to Kura... the Kuruta boy?"

I winced as the sentence came out not the way I wanted, to curt for my tastes. I could sense someone bristled at the tone, but whoever held back.

"Don't worry, I never break a deal once it has been made." That was really a moment of relief and I couldn't help but did a cheer inside my head. The spider head did not stop, though. "Have I answered all your questions?"

"Actually, no." Once again, I had the sensation that some people was going to kill me in my sleep, and subconsciously reached for my nen, forming a small warm bubble around me. "Where is th– wait, scratch that. How am I going to work for you in the future?"

Judging from the not-so-shock features of other members who were not at the Kuruta Village, I concluded that the leader had already broke in the news.

Kuroro chuckled with humour, a melodious laugh that filled the silent room.

"Why, aren't you a strange one? Don't worry, we'll tell you later."

"Oh, alright. Err, ya I'm done," I said bluntly.

I had a feeling some of the people sweatdropped.

"Now," Kuroro rose from his seat (made of rubble of rocks) and walked towards me, easily towering over me with his height. I felt as if needles were prickling over my skin. "I'm going to ask you some questions." He squatted down, bringing himself to my eye level. There was a voice at the back of my mind who suggested that maybe the leader got tired craning his neck to look at me or something.

"How did you learn that?"

"Huh?" What?

"Nen. How did you learn it?"

_Oh_. But how am I going to explain to him? _Hey sir, I know the future and hence I knew how to do it. And oh, by the way Pakunoda and Uvogin's gonna die soon like after 5 years._

"Someone taught me." And it wasn't a lie. Lying to them would be asking for death. Feeling the need to elaborate, I did. "Around two years ago, there was a travelling group of people who came across our village. One of them is a ninja. I thought being a ninja was pretty cool, so I asked him to teach me ninjutsu — that's the art of ninja — and he agreed."

And that was the summary for it. Two years ago, a ninja master crossed path with me, during one of the hide-and-seek games which I accidentally mistook him for another Kuruta kid. Afterwards, I had learned that he had muted his presence (he was not using Zetsu, just muting) and he took an interest in me, and me an interest in ninjutsu.

The rest you could probably imagine it.

Since I couldn't overlook the uncanny resemblance between nen and chakra (in Naruto) I had just used the two terms all together. It still slipped me sometimes when I was not aware.

Going back to reality, Kuroro had stood up and nodded towards Pakunoda.

_Oh sweet. She's probably gonna read my mind or something. I'm so dead if she do that._

Pakunoda approached me with an outstretched arm, which she put on my head, as if she was patting me. It might seemed so natural, but inwardly, my brain was going haywire. I shut my eye tightly and hoped for the best.

There was an exclamation of shock, before I found myself the receiving end of the tip of a sword/gun/ect ect. Pakunoda was massaging her temples as if she was in a concussion.

When the pain had seemingly lessened, she looked me over and asked, "just _who_ are you?"

Kuroro raised an questioning eyebrow, but otherwise waved the others off. Which was good. They looked like they were going to put a bullet in my brain or something.

"You'll be joining us." It wasn't a question, just a simple command.

I nodded. "Only until the debt is paid. But I'll pledge alliance even after so."

"Very well."

Fortunately, there wasn't chaos for my first day, so I guessed it was a good thing.

* * *

Even though Machi was the youngest in age, it always seemed like Shalnark was closer to my physical age, which was the age of 6. So I stuck to him, and he seemed nice enough. Nobunaga was too hot-tempered, too loyal a samurai who wouldn't hesitate to eliminate any harm when it comes to his Danchou and fellow spiders.

I wouldn't say about Omokage, though.

The manga/anime hadn't really introduced him, and I only knew he was replaced by Hisoka, and from wikia, I also learned that he was a creepy puppeteer. That, or a puppet maker.

_Which reminded me of Kankuro. Why can't I be in Naruto?_ The Kuruta clan and Uchiha clan seemed close enough, to say the least.

Then I froze, thinking about all those times Naruto came so close to death, and all those OC SI stories Fanfiction authors wrote.

_Screw that. Why can't I be in some high school manga story where all the problem the main character has is love and romance?_

I sighed, throwing my hands over my back and laid down on the floor.

"You know, you're pretty weird for a child like you," Shalnark said.

I flopped over on my belly so I could get a good look on what he was doing, which, in this case, he was making some sort of remote control, not all that interesting. It was kind of boring, and the other members were not around, so it was only me and Shalnark.

"You can say that. All of you all pretty weird, too."

I didn't deny that fact. While Shalnark seemed more civilised than the rest, I had know that he kills with a smile on his face, like how he was smiling at me sometime.

Which was creepy, if you thought about it. He was like some sort of — _dare I say it _— Yamamoto Takeshi, who acted like he thought mafia was all a game, and put up a smile every single time. It was just that I would have prefer him over Shalnark any single time.

Because at least Yamamoto plays baseball.

And Shalnark was in a group who would kill mercilessly.

Arguably, Tsuna was part of a mafia, too. But at least he had some mercy.

...

... Why was I even thinking about this?

I didn't realise that the atmosphere changed until I saw that smile being wiped off from Shalnark's face.

"Why don't you hate us?" It was a quiet, curious question, but at the same time filled with another emotion I could quite identify.

I stared at him.

Hate? I would probably hate them, all of the spiders, if I was really born and raised from this world. But I had an objective, one that had made me go so far. Cheesy as it sounded, I wanted to go home, to where I belong.

_To where blood and gore was not part of life and all that mattered was civilisation. Oh, and a degree, that too._

I decided that no matter what, I had to go home. I had vowed it, never to stop until I twisted that familiar door knob and said 'I'm home' to my family. I still wanted to play softball with my friends. And with that, I had to survive, hate or no, so I could find a way home.

To do that, I would not change myself. And I wouldn't drown in revenge, or anything of the likes. I wanted to be as pure. So I decided to understand everyone.

The Phantom Troupe wasn't mindless killers. They were just people who kill to _survive_.

I crawled over to Shalnark, who regarded me with narrow eye.

And then, I pulled a Road (from D Gray Man) and hugged him.

He stiffened, before obviously trying to tell himself to relax, that I was of no harm.

"You feel that?" I began. "Warm, isn't it? That's what humans feel when they touch each other. You can be the killer of my clan, but in the end, we just humans."

We stayed like that for a few more minutes, him apprehending my words and me too awkward to pull away.

Then, the door opened.

Surprised, both of us (mostly me, but ah well) went into panic mode and I accidentally rolled over, hitting myself on the head and getting all that dust on me.

"Ahh, Uvogin!" I exclaimed from my upside down position.

"Brat," he said. Well, it was his way of greeting anyway.

I spotted Nobunaga behind his broad form.

"Swordsman!" I said with a laugh, acting like the innocent (not-so-innocent) kid I was.

"You," Nobunaga responded by pointing an accusing finger at me. "Why did you call him by his name and not me?"

"Because Swordsman is Swordsman!" I said in a singsong way.

"Why, you–"

"Won't both of you shush for a while? Danchou's coming back soon." Franklin said, and sat down on the worn down couch.

"He'd returned from the Black Market?" I yawned, "how much does one pair sells for, anyway?"

"For around 150 million."

I felt my heart go still.

"Serious?! I could never get that much money in my whole life, much less 300 million!" I huffed. "This is ridiculous."

"But it's a deal you offered." A new voice joined in, and the members of the Phantom Troupe straightened with respect.

"Yeah, right," I replied with a tint of bitterness, stifling the mental roll of eyes.

Even if it was me, I wouldn't push it that far.

"Danchou," I called, and Kuroro's eyes flickered towards me. "You know... I'm not that strong. So I probably won't be useful to you anytime soon."

The room was silent after my supposed confession.

Until I continued. "But I'm boooorrreeddd! Bored to death! There's nothing I could do here. Like, absolutely nothing. Can't you feel the horror of dying via boredom? It's the worst kind of death in the world!"

I felt some people sighed at my childishness, and something which seemed like a sweat-drop on Kuroro's head. Gosh, my rants must be really OP to cause sweat-drops to the most powerful person I'd ever meet.

"There'll be a heist tomorrow. The target is not really dangerous–"

"I'll be joining?" I cut him off, too excited to care about whether some members still want to kill me or not.

"From the looks of it, you will." And I restrained myself from doing a fist-punch into the air above me, settling for grinning instead. "We have to get ready for the auction soon."

And there's the auction stuff. Every year during September start of month, there would be auction held in Yorknew City.

Four, five years later, there would be blood spilled there.

I almost shuddered at the thought.

* * *

"I'm totally like a Kaitou Kid right now," I grinned.

I was suspended in mid air. Helicopters flew above me, and there were thousands and thousands of people cheering for me below. Nakamori Keibu was barking at me to get down so he could put me in cuffs.

Giving a bow, I announced, "Ladies and gentl- Ouch! What's that for?"

Scowling at Nobunaga who had smacked me on my head, I turned to the more likeable Shalnark and started pestering him instead,

"So, what's the mission objective?"

"Hmmm it's one of the most famous jewels, Red Tear—"

I have the oddest sense of déjà vu occurring, like _now_.

"— It's a gem which brings misfortune to anyone who try to own it. But the gem itself is pretty big, so it'll fetch a good price."

Yep, _definitely_ sounds like the Detective Conan/ Magic Kaitou shows Red Tear. That heist by Kaitou Kid was considered one of my favourite episode, too.

I trudged on. Kuroro said that my debt would be paid off by using calculation of the money the goods involved in our heist is sold. So if the Red Tear was sold for 40 million jenny, and since four of us were attempting the heist, it would be 40 million divided by four, and I'll be paying back 10 million.

But it still wasn't that easy to pay back 300 million, because few things could sell that much, and I was betting that the Red Tear would only be scratching the 500 thousand mark or something.

By the next morning, we already reached out destination, but we would only act with the shadows of the night, so I dragged Shalnark to explore the city with me.

While all the spiders were known only to the lesser public and some higher-ups, they seemed to adapt to that quickly, being able to blend in with the crowd easily. Even Franklin, with all his giant build and stitches on his face, could do wonders with only some proper dress-ups.

Beside me, Shalnark seemed more like a teenage than anything, and with both of us being blonds, we could easily pass off as siblings.

"Ne, Shalnark. What would I be doing in this heist?" I asked, keeping my voice low but not being too suspicious at the same time.

"Well, I think it's your first time, so you'll only serve as lookout for us, or maybe infiltration with one of the other members."

I hummed In acknowledgement.

We wandered around the city, not staying at one place for long.

That was, until I spotted a bookstore.

"Books!" I yelped, and in a second's time I was already at the shop display window, peering excitedly into the shop.

Somehow, I had the feeling that Shalnark was thinking somewhere along the lines of me and Kuroro would get along so well.

Huh. The show _did_ say that Kuroro loved to read.

I shook the thought off in favour of entering the shop. Nothing could beat a good book.

Idly passing through columns of bookshelves, I arrived in a specific section before browsing through the books. Any other time, I would have gladly settle for some novel or short stories, but my purpose here wasn't for such trivial stuff.

I had to learn to fight, to at least defend myself if anything went wrong.

After the deal with the spiders, Kuroro had told me that he was interested in me (disturbingly, an image of Sasuke and Orochimaru popped out in my head before I squashed it) and the talent I had.

"How did you do that?" He had asked, referring to the little stunt I pulled.

Due to my shishou being a ninja, I had naturally blended the concept of Naruto and HxH together, and I thought nen as chakra. Soon enough, I had been experimenting those so-called 'jutsu' using nen.

It was then I realised I could use the body flicker.

It was a great tool, and that day I learned it, I was so happy that I hugged everyone I saw, even the clan elder. I had began practising, trying to master it as good as I could. But of course, being the person I was, I often appeared somewhere strange when I used the jutsu, sometimes appearing in the middle of a lake or in the sky, the latter being an experience I never wanted to recall.

So far, I could precisely teleport to any where within a distance of 20 metres radius.

And so, I told him. I told him about how one day I experimentally pulled my nen (I almost said chakra), and found myself teleported. Of course, I felt out the parts about me being someone from another world where all of the members were never real.

In the show, it was natural occurrence that one's speed can be heightened until they looked like they had teleported, but the body flicker still held an advantage towards them, bring unpredictable and taking even lesser time.

A split second could mean a different result.

The rest of the afternoon was spent reading.

* * *

"Ready?" Shalnark asked.

I nodded nervously, focusing on the mansion before us. Red Tear was a gem passed down by generations, from father to son when the son was ready to become the next heir.

Tonight, the son had been old enough for the ceremony, and there was a party held in the mansion. With all the people going into the mansion, it made it easier for us to infiltrate.

"Gotta be awesome," I grinned, feeling a bit giddily excited about this.

Nobunaga gave me an odd look, while Uvogin just laughed and Shalnark shrugged his shoulders. Seriously, we'd been together for more than a week, one would expect them to at least know I was this type of person.

The infiltration was simple enough. Shalnark and me entered the mansion with the invitation cards taken from the now-corpses. We were dressed splendidly, to match the noble classes, and soon enough, we were a companied by some butlers to the hall.

Never in my life had I seen a room this richly ornamented. The upper half of the wall was a soft beige, separated from the maroon red of the walls below with a strike of gold. Crystal lighting illuminated the place, dominating the room with a pretty glow.

"Rich~" I whistled, softly just for Shalnark to hear because I wanted to keep my cover low. Besides, no noble ladies should be whistling.

I tugged at my dress disdainfully, the corset was getting on my nerves, not to mention it was a hinder to fight or escape. Just more reasons to hate dresses now.

The heist was simple enough. The four of us would be split into two (which we already had). The infiltration group would hid under the covers of being an invited guest, while the other two group would stir chaos outside the mansion.

With all the chaos, it would be easy to just grab the gem and high-tail it out of here.

At least that was what I thought was the plan. The three spiders would probably end up killing everyone and stealing everything.

Sometimes, I wondered what little sanity I had left in me.

* * *

The moment I finish changing the piece of clothes that was so uncomfortable it should never have been invented (AKA my dress) into my usual tee shirt and pants, I gave the signal and immediately, hell broke loose.

It was in the middle of the father giving a speech and officially presenting Red Tear to the son, so the lights were off for dramatic effects, just what we wanted.

As Nobunaga and Uvogin hacked and slashed through the defense, leaving no witness — the spiders were pretty sensitive about their identity, we'd like to avoid being seen as much as possible — we were also springing into action. Inside the mansion, Shalnark was controlling people with his bat-needle, all the while hiding in some corners no one would have seen.

My responsibility was the gem itself, and I wasted no time flickering to the glass-encased Red Tear, and broke the glass, sloppily drawing nen to form a half-assed Ko, grunting as I wasn't that experienced and my hand received some impact.

Better get going.

I flickered out of the building, using more nen to pull the distance. It decreased my precision of where I was landing, but that wasn't the point now. I gave the signal, an owl's hoot, twice before flickering again to our temporary base.

I hoped that they picked it up and not kill every single one.

Shalnark was the first to appear, then Nobunaga and Uvogin. The latter two still looked eager for some more fights, but I just held the Red Tear up simply, indicating that our job here was done.

That didn't stop me from thinking about the newly acquired gem, though.

Was it a mere coincidence that the Red Tear was exactly like the one in Detective Conan? I mean, its rumours in both shows — worlds, I corrected myself — were identical, and even its looks. By 'Red Tear', I assumed most people would thought the gem to be red, but in fact, the gem was a pure blue sapphire.

It would only turn red when that happens.

Subconsciously I started comparing the gem to the scarlet eyes of the Kuruta clan.

When the four of us finally stopped to have some rest for the night, I still couldn't stop thinking about the Red Tear.

"Got a fire, anyone?"

Uvogin was already snoring. Nobunaga shot me a questioning look, and only Shalnark knew better than to wait for an explanation and fished a packet of match-sticks from his pocket.

For what reasons he carry it with him, I decided not to know.

Sliding one of the matches, which ignited in a burst of sparks and flames, I held it over the gem.

"Now what are you gonna d–"

He couldn't have end it soon enough. Because all I knew was that the red light, so warm and bright, surrounded me, wrapping me into its embrace.

And when I regained my vision, I was met with a splitting image of myself.

"H-Hana?"

* * *

**That's about as good as I can write for some heist. I worry for myself for the future fighting scenes. Just imagine my horrible skills at writing some actions!**

**Well anyway, I've been a bit annoyed these days (there's a teacher complaining here and there... And I had a feeling everyone dislike him for being the complain-king.) but when one of my favourite story got updated, I was all sunshines. Guess that's how the Fanfiction works, right?**

**I've decided a name for my OC already, and thanks for all the people who gave me the suggestions through one way or another. I'll try to update regularly...**

* * *

**Review Reply:**

**Retz (guest): Thanks for the long review! I love lengthy reviews so. I got more to read too;) I've edited the title for some clarification. SI, or Self-Insert, is like how the author (me!) views herself. Not to be confused with a Mary-Sue, though. And yes, I've come across the two stories... Currently reading them:D Thanks for the suggestion, and I've decided on a name/alias alr. Hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	4. I Go to Fight

Chapter 4

I go to Fight

.

.

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"Is that you, Hana?" I asked, and my voice was shaky, no matter how much I reassured myself.

We were in a room, a small and homey one. A bookshelf, filled with a variety of books, stood in one corner. There was a fireplace, and the flickering fire gave some imagery warmth, but I doubt that fireplace was even necessary. Around a wooden round table, was two pale yellow sofas.

Sitting on one of the sofas, was Hana.

And by 'Hana', I didn't meant me myself. I had never once referred to myself that name I stole. It was the Kuruta girl, the rightful sister of Pario. The girl whose body I had shamefully thieved.

"Please, make yourself at home. It's our mind-scape anyway," the girl spoke, a soft and alluring tone which made me felt so wrong to not oblige.

So, I nervously took a seat.

By this time, I had managed to find myself that, I was indeed how I looked like in Earth. At least how I looked like before I'd gone inside the Hunter x Hunter world. I didn't seemed to have grown a day ever since, even though time had slipped past me by three years.

It was silence afterwards. Awkward and tense for me, while the other girl sat there and enjoyed herself, sipping on a cup of hot chocolate.

"Well," she started, and I managed to not jumped out of the seat. "To begin with, yes, I'm Hana. Kuruta Hana, if you wish for the full name."

"I'm Luscinia Evan," I responded, feeling strange to use my name in this world foreign to me. Guilt welled in my chest as I thought about my arrival in this world.

But before I could even voice out my thoughts, I was interrupted by Hana.

"No, it isn't your fault," she said gently. "I was going to die anyway, so I am okay with... this _occurrence_. In fact, I think you have even done better than what I could have. I have seen everything through you."

And she smiled, a soft curl at her lips which was too embracing, too kind and too warm. Despite the age difference, I probably had no qualms about breaking down in front of her.

Maybe good-naturedness was inheritable, seeing it on both siblings?

"I..." I started, but got too overwhelmed by emotions my voice broke and I didn't know how to continue. Hana got down from her sofa, and came over to mine to give me a hug.

"Hmm, mmm. It's okay," she reassured me.

And we stay like that for who-knew-how-long, until I had to force myself with all the willpower I had to broke off from the embrace. I needed answers, and fast.

"I'm sorry," I managed, while the younger child shook her head and heaved herself back onto the sofa. "I'm sorry, but I need some answers."

"I can guess," she laughed, and brought the cup of hot chocolate up to her lips, taking a long, fulfilling drink.

Finding myself nothing else to do, I sipped the hot beverage too.

"Actually, I am not dead." And that sentence made my spitted out everything, and I started coughing. Hana casted me a worried look but I waved at her in a dismissive way, telling her to continue.

"I am not dead, I am just very weak. My spirit, to be exact. Three years ago, when I had that sudden stroke, I had expected myself to die. However, strangely, I didn't."

"And that was probably because I was being attached into your body," I muttered.

"Yes," she confirmed, "Days later, I found myself in this room, and I asked myself '_why am I still alive?_' when I can still see the world through this window. This room is our mind-scape. The books are our knowledge, and the window is what we've seen. That time, I was really stunned, because I really thought I had died."

"I still don't know the cause of another soul being attached to mine, but that supported me, and gave me some strength to last. All the while, I have been conserving my life energy in this room, hoping for the one day I can talk to this soul, talk to _you_." She didn't stop, even at my bewildered look.

"I know you are from another world, and I don't know the reason why you are here, in this world. Maybe it is because of me, because that time I was still too scared to accept death, because I wanted to live just a bit longer." Her eyes were downcast, as if she had done something wrong. "But when you lit up the Red Tear, it feels as if some of my life energy returned, and now I can finally talk to you!"

It was a simple joy, yet I couldn't help but smile along with her.

Then, voices were calling.

The girl known as Hana smiled upon me once more.

"Wake up, Evan. Your comrades are starting to worry."

* * *

When I woke up, the first person I saw was Shalnark, which wasn't considered a big surprise.

"Sorry," I mumbled, but he had waved it off, saying something like we should look out for each other.

What was surprising, was Nobunaga asking for my name.

"Well, I can't just call you 'brat' forever," he grumbled. "At least when you faint next time, I had some name to call you."

I had considered answering with 'Hana', but she wasn't me, and I wasn't her. I couldn't tell him I was 'Evan' too, because Evan wasn't from the Kuruta clan. Evan was a person in another world.

Grinning, I answered him with 100% of cheekiness.

"My name is..."

* * *

"Hello, I'm Freya," I introduced myself to the whole of Phantom Troupe, Kuroro raising an eyebrow as his eyes left the book momentarily to look at me, but never said anything. Taking that as a cue, I continued. "I like to play, and on occasions to prank people, and I hate getting bored. I am a specialist, and a ninja-in-training. My dream is to–" _go home_, my mind supplied, but I ignored it for the moment. "–explore the world."

And by 'world', I didn't mean the continents which were known and populated. I meant those areas where hunters didn't venture, otherwise known as the 'Dark Continents'. I had a hunch that it was the key of me going home.

And in order for that to happen, I'd have to be strong.

What better to have the main characters of this story as a measuring stick?

Most of the members were indifferent about my mini-speech, but I saw from the corner of my eyes, that Nobunaga was not-so-discreetly rolling his eyes, and Shalnark shrugging his shoulders, before going back to what he had been doing. Uvogin pretty much ignored me, but that was his reaction to practically everything except for fights. Fights, and Kuroro's orders.

"Why the sudden introduction?" Shalnark asked as I neared him, him still absorbed in making that new remote control of his.

"It's a new name," I grinned, mock-whispering to him. "See? Freya sounds like, _free-ya_, which is quite cool. Initially, I thought Free was a good name, but it's too bland for my tastes." Not to mention that I knew of a certain swimming club in a certain anime.

My eyes lingered to the gem lying innocently beside Kuroro. While Hana had said that the Red Tear brought upon her some energy, I was mildly curious about it. There was no doubt that the item contained nen, confirmed when I focused my nen on my eyes for an inept gyo.

"Interest in this?" Kuroro gestured towards Red Tear, and I found myself getting some unwanted attention of some members.

My first reaction was to deny, but then I remembered how important it was to be truthful towards these people.

"A bit..." I admitted. "Actually, a lot."

"Then, too bad," Phinks sneered, before Kuroro could respond, though I doubt that he would, with his head in a book and all.

"Of course," I agreed, pulling a mock-serious act.

* * *

"Here," Shalnark said, casually tossing a small blue stone.

However, I recognised it almost instantly.

"Is this... What I think it is?" I raised an eyebrow, eyeing him like he had grown a second head, which would be creepy.

"Who knows," he commented nonchantly, before going back to his own interest.

My other eyebrow joined the first.

* * *

Turned out, during the trip to Black Market, the group had been ambushed, and Red Tear was chipped. A fragment about the size of the thumb nail separated from the gem. Kuroro had did some quick thinking and made a detour to a jewellery shop to modify the stone into a pendent, to cover up the crack.

With the small piece of sapphire, Hana could be fed energy whenever I turn the stone red (either by fire or nen), and before long, we established telepathy between us two.

I joined a couple more heists with the Spiders, reducing the debt by around one or two million. I had used up some of the money for daily needs and some misc stuff. Before long, the dates were drawing near and Phantom Troupe was preparing to rob the auctions, and being the weakest member, I voluntarily chose not to participate in it.

I had better things to do, something along the lines like finding a certain tall tower and fighting my ways up.

According to Killua, he had won around 200 millions in the tower, so I was really hoping that I could take this super risky path.

After I informed Kuroro, I had set off to my little journey two months prior to the auction. Since Killua had spent two months to get to 150th floor, I suspected I would spend more than him to get to the same level. Arguably, he had been only six when he achieved that feat, but hey, Killua was just as awesome.

For me, even though I was still physically six, (yes six like Killua,) I already had some trouble taking on floor 100.

So far, the prize money had been more than satisfying. I had earned around 1 million jenny in total. And it was not even half a year in Phantom Troupe. I grinned. At this rate, I might just free myself from the debt anytime soon.

As I laid in the super comfy bed thinking about my future and nursing my newest wounds, the phone rang.

I weighed up the pros and cons of picking up the phone, and decided to comply to my more logical side.

"Hello?" I spoke into the device.

"Freya?"

"Shalnark," I exclaimed, glad that I wasn't entirely forgotten. "How's life?"

"We're raiding tonight," came the reply, and I stole a glance at the digital clock, the date showing the last day of August.

"Well? Good luck."

"I'm just checking on you. Remember all the precautions."

"Aww, are you worried about me?" I said in a singsong tone, teasing the older boy. With a bit of seriousness in my voice, I continued. "Of course. Don't worry."

We traded a quick good-bye and I hung up the phone. There weren't nothing chit-chatty about the Phantom Troupes, they were sort of like a trader to me. Like how I bought the two pair of Kuruta eyes from them for 300 million.

I sighed. This was getting tiring.

Then, it came across my mind that I had a match later today, and groaned.

Stupid system, over packing me with schedules.

... Oh right, forgot that it was me who signed up for so many fights.

I slapped a palm to my face for the umpteenth time, and checked that my more serious wounds are cleaned thoroughly, properly spread with Kurutian herb mixture, and bandaged neatly. Giving myself a final nod, I brought alone the key card of the apartment and the slip of paper with the scheduled date of battles, and shut the door behind me.

* * *

I couldn't believe it.

And yet, here I was, facing off a chibi-Killua.

Chibi-Kiliua was analysing me while I was just standing there, openly gaping at him.

_Just what are the odds of this?_

"Are we going to start?" Killua asked, worded with sarcasm and confidence, something he would totally say to anyone.

Embarrassingly, the super duber memorable sentence I was about to say to one of the main character of this world tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it.

"You're eyes are so pretty I wish I could gouge them out and place them in a jar to preserve in eternity."

I wondered whether it was bad influence staying with the Phantom Troupe. They were totally rubbing off me.

The arena suddenly went quiet, and kid-Killua was staring at me with an odd look which had clearly stated the message that he found me disturbing.

I couldn't agree more.

The moment the judge signalled the start of battle, we charged.

Or rather, he came at me with the full intention to... Maybe not kill, but heavily maim me so that he could advance further up the tower. If my memory served me right (which it better did, or else I'd be back to writing down all the events of HxH again, and I really don't want to risk it.), Killua was dropped here for some trainings.

Preoccupied by my inner musings, I underestimated the speed of his punch and my block was easily broken through. I ducked down in time to avoid a foot in a roundhouse kick.

Didn't take me more than a second to figure out it would wiser to draw some distance first.

Leaping back with my eyes trained on the white-haired opponent, I assessed my options. Currently, I only had one technique which I was confident of (AKA the Body Flicker). However, I did not want to expose it that soon.

You only show your aces in your sleeves when you're certain of winning, after all.

In the story, when Killua had revisited this tower with Gon, he had gone for the 'sharp-blow-to-the-pressure-point' tactic for easy advance. But this Killua I was facing presently was just training, fighting every floor to test himself. I myself hadn't study the human body enough to know exactly where the pressure points were specifically, and I certainly wouldn't want to break child-Killua's neck in any case.

I lunged at him this time with the intention of testing his strength, and we traded a furry of blows. It became rather clear that I had the upper hand when it came down to raw power (If I hadn't, I'd bury myself six feet under for all the hell trainings I'd gone through.) but kid-Killua knew precisely where to strike, where to land an accurate hit which caused the most paralysing pain, even when I blocked them.

Unable to bear the pain sudden acquired injuries, I pulled distance once again. Sparing a risky second to check on my arms, I grimaced inwardly as I found out that some of the blows were landed on my old wounds.

_They're gonna be a bitch to heal._

The people were shouting, but the cheering and words died out in my ears. The broadcaster was exclaiming something about the 'two exceptionally strong kids' but I tuned it off.

I was just in time for myself to concentrate, a mere split second before Killua came on the aggressive with a bloodthirsty look which clearly showed how much he enjoyed the fight.

The punch missed me by a hair's length, but it became rather clear that it wasn't meant to hit me when Killua knocked me off my feet with a sweep of his legs and delivered another clear shot to my abdomen.

"Hit!" The judge announced, raising a flag at Killua's direction, but I could hardly register it.

Because, what I had seen just now, was two Killua, one going for the punch, the other, the sweep.

Was that the famed Echo of the Zoldycks? More importantly, did I just freaking help this major character over here to learn the first steps?

Judging from the chibi's awed expression, I was damn right positive about this.

I carefully kept any traces of fangirl syndrome from my face, as I schooled it into my usual blank look. The spiders taught me that, because a blank look allowed one to hide their emotions and thoughts.

Raising a hand, I made sure to declare in a clear, loud voice.

"I forfeit."

So much for acting cool.

* * *

While I knew that that at 200th floor, if you had consecutive 4 loses, you'd be disqualified. But any floor below that, you can lose as much as you want, and you'd never be disqualified as long as you participated in all the scheduled matches.

Currently, I was in the infirmary wincing and grimacing and all the like because the last hit that Killua delivered to me had opened my old wound, and since it was on my back, I couldn't do anything to it except to go to the infirmary (which I hated) and let the nurse there treat me.

... What? You think I really forfeit because I was such an egoistic barstard?

So much for the vote of trust, guys...

Khem, so anyway, present situation consist of a half-naked me lying on a bed, and a nurse putting some disinfections and whatever on my reopened wound. Feeling lazy, I even asked her to help me tend the other wounds while I laid on my belly.

I was only six for goodness sake! It was a good thing children have less... Stuff to hide, and endure.

At least there was no painful bouncing on my chest every time I move. Okay maybe that was a bit too extreme, but I'll just assume you guys know what I'm taking about.

I was already half way into lala-land when the nurse began wrapping bandages around my whole body, like my whole torso, my arms, my legs. Good thing my head wasn't wrapped, or else someone would mistake me for a mummy.

Did they even have mummies in this world?

Yawning, I went back to sleep, making a mental note to withdrawal from any future fights until my injuries heal completely.

* * *

Sometimes, when I sleep, I would be pulled into my mind-scape. Then, I'd sit at the sofa and chat with Hana, all the while sipping on hot chocolate, or warm milk, or maybe other stuff depending on my mood.

It was those times that I felt that I could relaxed a bit.

I felt my lips curled in a small smile, as I stared at the white ceiling of the infirmary as I woke up. Mouth opened for a jaw-splitting yawn, I tried to rub the sleep off from my eyes, and swung my legs over to the side of the bed...

"Hey you!"

... And the surprise made me flail, lost my balance, and the next moment found me tumbling down the bed.

"Oww, I have a feeling my wounds just reopened or something," I grumbled, rubbing my sore butt and peering into the neck-hole of my shirt to (once again) check on my bandaged wounds.

Nothing was stained red, so I presumed it was fine... So far.

"You're weird," the child in front of me nodded, as if it was something he decided after thinking for a long time.

"Like you're the one to talk about," I retorted, heaving myself off the floor so I could stand level-eyed with him.

He was watching me with curiousity, and I realised that this part of Killua, the child Killua who was in need of human contact and love (not that kind, you moron!) was so much different from the assassin Killua. Thinking back about the fight sent shudders down my spine, because that Killua was so bloodthirsty, so much like someone totally born to kill and even enjoy the process of doing so.

"Say, how old are you?"

"Me?" I did a quick mental calculation, and replied, "I'm going to be six within three months." Becoming suspicious all of a sudden, I added. "Why did you ask?"

He snorted. "Because that totally explains why you're such a shrimp." And he paused. "A creepy and clumsy shrimp."

I choked on air, and when I was done coughing the hell out of myself (seriously, how did one even choke on plain air?), I decided I was too mature for him and not argue with him in that matter. I crept back to the warmth of my bed and turned my back towards him, fully intending to ignore everything.

"What do you want?"

The room grew quiet abruptly, and the silence was eating at me and I couldn't stand it, so I turned around so I could give the kid a stare to urge him.

"Why did you forfeit in that match?" He asked, just when I was half-way turning towards him.

"Finally you've talk, and all you said was that?" I rolled my eyes. "I was injured, you know? And injuries in a fight will lead to disability which would lead to more injuries."

"So you've chickened out, Shrimp?" He provoked.

And he was successful.

"Just who are you referring to as 'Shrimp'? And what's with the 'chickened out' comment? Just so you know, it's called a tactical retreat. And I'm sure I'm the taller one!"

Woah. So much for being _such_ a mature person.

And I even stood next to him for comparison. And indeed, I was taller by a full two inches. Though he denied that and continued calling me 'Shrimp', so I resorted to calling him an old gramp.

To say that this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship was too cliché and pointless. I wasn't sure we could be even considered 'friends', since we never did exchange names at that time (everyone here knows that Killua's name is a well-known fact to me, but oh well).

But after that first meeting at the infirmary, I bumped into him a week later.

I'd probably say that that was the exact moment our friendship cemented for good.

* * *

**Hope you enjoy this chapter:D**

**I figure you all will figure out my writing schedule;) but sometimes I might not be able to update as soon especially during training days... Which are always damn tiring. I mean, I could handle 4 rounds around the 400m track, but interval trainings like 10 consecutive sprints across the field. That is hell, I'd tell you.**

**Enough of my ranting! On to the Review Question and Replies!**

**Review Question: **

**_If you were to choose a power for my OC (Freya) asides from the Body Flicker/ Teleportation, what would you choose? Because I'm totally out of creativity..._**

* * *

**Review Replies (it feels good to type the plural form):**

**Zuta-chan: Haha thanks! ;) And I've always like teleportation because it's so damn cool, like you can wake up later in the morning and still get to school early... Thanks for the compliment, glad you enjoy it 8D**

**Retz (guest): I was totally grinning when I read your review (and my tablemate was like, WTH is wrong with you). I didn't know about the Hope Diamond, but oh well. Red Tear is from the anime Detective Conan, featured in an OVA. But yeah, the curses were there... Which remind me to jinx my OC in the future (evil smirk) Naruto is pretty cool, and I've been lurking in that fandom for worthy fics. So I knew about all those jutsus. hope this chapter clear up your doubts... Oh and thanks for all the extra information, I might quote it in the future:P**

**Kzen (guest): Of course! I was browsing through the Naruto fandom when I saw it, I thought it was kinda cool... Thanks for the review by the way, hope you stick through the story;)**

**Thanks everyone! I feel very happy reading through all your reviews!**


	5. I got Banished

Chapter 5

I got Banished

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In the Heavens Arena, there was a set of rules which applied. Weapons could only be used on 200th floor and above, for example, something which I had learned from the series. But there was still more of it, like you couldn't use nen on an opponent below the 200th floor; and you couldn't interfere a fight no matter what. There was respective punishment from these, eternal banishment from the arena being one of the worst kind.

So far I knew, there was one person who got banished and stripped of his prize money because of some confidential reasons, and I really wasn't too keen to know.

After I had reassured the nurse at the infirmary that I had recovered enough to not drop dead any moment (the nurse was _scary_, I swear!), my life had been a routine. Wake up in the morning, eat some breakfast, watch some matches, eat lunch, read books in the library near the tower, then go back, watch more fights, dinner, than sleep. It became rather dull, because I forbade myself from joining any fights, but the less intensive ten training and some of impressive moves during fights had me feeling satisfied for the day, and I would always jot them down in my handy notebook for future use.

That day, I had been in a match involving Killua and some random dude.

Or someone I _thought_ to be just another random dude Killua would definitely win.

Granted, Killua wasn't near as powerful as he had become in the future, which was like six years later. I knew he took two years in this tower for them to grant him access to the 200th floor, but he bailed out, choosing to buy 4 years of cake/chocolate/sweets. With 200 _million_ jenny. Which was such a waste.

Well anyway, so both of us had our fair share of victory and defeat.

So, back to the story.

The opponent was looming over the much smaller frame of Killua, sending an unspoken message of threat. Killua just pretty much ignored that, but that was his default reaction to almost anything on the arena platform.

I had been quite confident for Killua's win, but the progress of the match told me otherwise.

After the declaration of the start of the fight, all the opponent did was to be a punching bag to Killua, but after a while, I found something strange happening.

Killua was slowing down.

If anything, he didn't strike me as someone with a lack of stamina (like myself) or someone sloppy during fights, even when he was a child, it didn't matter.

So _why_ was he slowing down?

I directed some nen into my eyes, making a gyo. But nothing was wrong. The aura from his body was still leaking freely, like how it should be.

However, I decided that, yes, something was definitely wrong when I saw that the opponent's nen was not leaking out as freely as it should have been. It was as if the opponent had naturally weak nen, but it was doubted because normally fighters would have much stronger nen than any other civilian down the street.

Being able to hold all of Killua's attacks, even if Killua was still a child, was a feat, even when he was already taking the tolls of the damage.

I narrowed my eyes, and allowed my lips to curl into a smirk.

Flickering myself to the whatever arena platform, right behind Killua. Summoning up twice the amount of nen and praying that Killua wouldn't kill me out of reflex or something, I put on hand on his shoulder, and enveloped him in my nen.

It was a tricky thing, but I somehow managed.

I pulled him through space-and-time and we ended up outside of the fighting platform a good five metres away, since I really didn't want to risk anything on my first try of teleporting passengers.

There was a momental silence as the whole place was stunned and Killua's opponent swung a clenched fist, meeting nothing but empty air.

"F-foul!" The judge announced after a few second, recovering from the unpredictable event faster than others.

The broadcaster soon followed with her ramblings with an interception and what not, as well as reciting some rules of the Heavens Arena. I barely paid attention to her as I strode up to the judge, and gestured for him to bend down or something so I could whisper into his ear.

I hated those times where my height was just so _insulted_.

The judge was a fair man, so he did accede to my little request.

After listening to my story, he looked at me, as if doubting me. Crossing my fingers inside my pocket, I scrutinised every movement of his.

Finally, he announced. "This match will conclude here. Spectators please made your way out–"

One person was already on his feet, protesting, "it's that kid's fault, how can you just tell us to screw off?"

I bit back a wince.

"– or I'll have to make all of you to." And he promptly released a wave of killing intent.

Innately, I countered it by shielding it with my own ten, making sure to take care of Killua meanwhile. The opponent, which by this time, I was getting bored by calling him opponent again and again, so I just gonna refer him as Tom. Yes, I know I wasn't original.

Tom also pulled some nen to form a really thin layer of ten, and if I wasn't looking at him so intently, I would have missed it. He was absolutely a genius in the fields of nen-control, this I'd credit him for.

As the crowd dispersed slowly, the judge scooped down low to me, and told me several word which made me grin.

And than, he announced to the remaining people. "Participant Freya, number 2044 and Killua, 3058, will now be suspended from the Heavens Tower for one week."

* * *

"See, it's all your fault," Killua growled.

I only shrugged my shoulders. "Stop scowling. It'll make you all wrinkly, old man" I teased, but seeing that Killua was still sulking over this, I sighed and stopped in front of him, forcing him to halt in his tracks and look up at me.

"Listen. It's not like they're really punishing us. It's a show they've put up." I explained, and seeing the perplexed look, I continued. "The opponent you were facing off was breaking the rules, so I told the judge. And because the spectators would not understand which rule he had broken, the judge chose to declare both of us as foul play to avoid doing some extremely long explanation. Long story short, they're putting us in suspension for a show only. It's not real."

I replayed the fighting scenes in my mind, and made my explanation as vague as possible to avoid screwing the plot up. After all, Tom had used nen. And I really couldn't afford some events happening prematurely.

"So we can come back to the tower anytime?" Killua asked, apparently cooled down by a significant amount after my explanation.

"I guess so, but since our names are announced then, I figure we can't fight for this one week, or participate as a spectator." I turned, and resumed walking, Killua following beside me. "But I guess we can still return to our rooms. It'll be a pain if we can't."

Killua hummed, then, as if remembered something, he paused in his walking. I raised a questioning eyebrow, but stopped too.

"I'm Killua."

For a fleeting moment, I realised we never did tell each other our names yet. I stared at him, impassively, and uttered, "I'm Freya." Deciding I should go on with a short introduction, I added with a mischievous grin, "I'm a ninja apprentice."

"And I'm an assassin-in-training." He snorted, as if making a sarcastic remark.

I only continued grinning like mad.

"Let's go and shop, shall we?" I said, earning myself a curious stare from Killua.

I feigned ignorance.

* * *

When wikia said that Killua was a chocolate addict, I didn't know that he was that obsessed into it. Then again, he had spent 200 million worth of jenny on sweets, namely chocolate balls, whatever it was called, so I really couldn't judge.

Even so... I spared a glance at the amount of chocolate Killua bought, and the rate that he eat was even more so fascinating.

Truth be told, those chocolate balls were tasty and rich in favour, but that did not reason how Killua could consume so much every day for so many years. And me...

I still had 298 more millions to pay.

I sighed deeply.

How I wish I was a cloud. Life is much less troublesome being one of them. My brain automatically chanted the 'I wish as lonely as a cloud' poem (Shakespear, if I'm not wrong) and I gagged.

_Now isn't a good time to go all poetic, people!_

Idly, I wondered what any other sane person would do when they were randomly transported into an anime world. I'd come across a handful of Fanfiction stories whose main character wanted to stay out of the storyline as far as they could. However, it could hardly apply to me since I was already a Kuruta.

I sighed again. _Life sucks._

I eyed the last packet of chocolate balls. If I was not mistaken, they were one of the famous brand in this world, the Robo-Choco. Huh. I wished I could have one.

I must had been drooling or something along that line that Killua took one long look at me, then as if making a really big decision, twisted his face into a funny look, and handed me a single one.

I mustered my best 'tears-welling-in-my-eyes-cuz-I-was-so-grateful' look, and bit into the ball of chocolate.

... _Must refrain... From getting addictive..._

_Gosh, that thing rocks. _I had a sweet tooth as Evan, the girl who occasionally celebrated small events with sweets to satisfy her cravings. As Freya, I had tried very hard to suppress it, mostly because Kuruta led simple life, and we got almost all our food by farming. The adults told me that if they ever wanted to get something sweet, they had to risk themselves to find honey. Didn't get long for me to get addicted to that stuff.

_I gonna buy a whole box of sweets once I get home. Hands down._

"If you like it so much, why don't you just buy some?" Killua suggested. "You've got some prize money from the fights, don't you?"

"Yeah," I admitted, "but I have to save them. I'm in debt. That's probably the main reason I'm here anyway, to earn some money."

"Why don't you ask your parents for some?"

I tilted my head. "They're not here."

Which was technically true. Hana's parents had died. My parents were in another universe altogether. _A half-truth isn't a lie_, I nodded at my wise words inwardly.

Killua gawped at me, as if searching for something in my face for the answers to his thoughts.

I only stared at the array of clothes too bright and frilly for my tastes. A worn-down shop in the distance captured my attention. A faded 'Junk Shop' was printed on a wooden slab hung at where a shop's name would typically be.

"Let's go there," I prompted, pointing to that particular shop.

I took the lead easily.

* * *

The shop owner, an old lady with silvery hair and overly-wrinkled face, did not greet us when we entered, only sparing us a single glance before shutting her eyes once again.

The interior of the shop was just as shabby, the wooden shelves seemed to be on the verge of breaking. How it didn't, was beyond my comprehension.

On the other hand, the objects were pretty fascinating.

There was a gold-embodied gun in one of these shelves, and upon further examination, I realised that, for all the lessons Pakunoda gave me about guns, that this one was impossible to load real bullets.

"Ma'am, is this a toy?" I spoke up, breaking the silence.

She opened one eye, and looked at me as if inspecting my very soul. I fidgeted uneasily under her gaze.

"It doesn't seem to be able to load a bullet," I said nervously.

I sent a small wave of nen for location to assure myself, and found that Killua had already drifted away from me to look at some other weird stuff in the shop.

The shopkeeper was currently glaring at me with the full power, pinning me with her gaze alone. I was almost about to reach for my nen to form a ten when she spoke in a low, raspy voice.

"It is a gun made for nen bullets," she elucidated, making me snap my head towards her, then towards the gun, back and forth stupidly for a few times.

When I finally had enough brain cells to register that I was having an unintelligent fit, I rationalised my thoughts, and closed my eyes for a gyo. It came a tad faster as I got used to that.

The whole shop was filled with nen. Every single item on the shelves, and yes, even the shop.

I was awed.

"This... This is really a nice shop," I breathed.

"Nothing more than a junk shop," she replied, and I caught a ghost of a wry smile on her face.

It was gone in a split second, and I doubted myself whether it was just my imagination.

"I'm feeling generous," she said. "Choose whatever you like as a gift."

Never look at a gift horse by the mouth was a lesson I long since learned. I only dipped my head in gratitude.

"Freya, come and look at this!" Killua drew my attention, and before long, I was beside him, wondering about all the coincidence in this world.

It was Killua's signature twin yoyo, for goodness sake.

"Looks kinda cool," he commented. "But I already spent all the money I had on chocolates. Guess that's it, then."

He walked towards the door, and with a harsh screech the door creaked open. "I'll wait for you outside."

Not even hesitating, I picked up the pair of potential lethal weapons, wincing as how much it weighed, and nodded at the old lady.

She didn't look at me, but I knew she got the message.

Slipping the twin yoyo into my bag, almost tipping backward in the sudden gain in weight, I steadied myself, and followed Killua out.

* * *

I was not expecting the fight.

I was totally not expecting it. Therefore, when I took the first step out, I was knocked off my feet, and I would have flown several metres away if not the combined weight of the two weapons in my bag and myself. That being said, I still crashed gracelessly onto a crate not to far away.

I grimaced as I felt the familiar warmth on my back._ I have to change the bandage soon,_ I noted dully.

Now that I wasn't so far from Tom, I could finally see his appearance. He wasn't as bulky as I had first thought him to be. In fact, he seemed more on the lean side. Brown eyes, brown hair, he was pretty nondescript. And if it wasn't me who made a point to memorise his face, I might have just forgotten him.

It wasn't hard to put two and two together for me to realise that we had crossed path with a pissed Tom. The authorities in the Heavens Arena should have banished him or something by then.

I crouched, waiting for a chance to strike as Killua engaged him into a trading of punches and kicks. Summoning a gyo to my eyes, I watched the fight carefully.

This time, Tom was openly using nen.

From what I could infer from the match in the Arena, Tom's nen had a property to weigh things down. I was not very familiar with the concepts of nen yet, so I couldn't really tell whether he was a specialist or someone from other categories.

Spying a chance, I flickered behind Tom, and attempted a kick to throw off his balance. He faltered slightly, but thanks to his Ryo, he only suffered minor damage.

However, that opening was enough.

That exact moment, Killua called forth his claws. He leapt, hands trained on Tom's neck.

I doubt even a Ken would save Tom right now.

What confused me, was his _smirk_.

With no small amount of ease and elegance, Tom caught the clawed hand by the wrist, did a turn, and Killua was now on the ground, eating dirt.

A moment later, Killua was knocked unconscious.

Memories swept over me, and for a second, I thought I was back to the smell of blood and fire, wagering two lives by my wits.

No matter how much I had lied about it, it was a day which would leave a lasting scar in my mind. I was already on one knee, head low and my whole body screamed a non-verbal message of '_spare me!_'.

To my disbelief, Tom actually chuckled.

Immediately, the tension dissipated.

"You're good, I like!" He declared, almost cheekily, with a tinge of childishness.

Stunned, I did nothing as he took my hand and pulled me up.

"It's so rare to find a hunter at such a young age," he commented. "A one who had already known nen, to top that. Say, you want to master nen?"

Baffled, I could only manage a few words. "I-I'm sorry, sir? I thin–"

"Oh, don't be such a spoilsport! C'mon, I'll teach you!"

And he tugged my hand, pulling me along forcibly.

And he tugged my hand, pulling me along forcibly, happily exclaiming something along the lines of 'student' and 'good hunter'.

* * *

Turned out, Tom was scouting in the Heavens Arena, not that the admins knew about it. He had used his nen to coat into a thin layer on his opponent's body to weigh them down, then tire them out. Of course, that wasn't even his full strength, he was only testing for worthy people.

His nen manipulation was marvellous. I mean, even the judges did not notice the thin layer of nen, not that they were in gyo state all the time, but still.

So in the end, he knew about me discovering his 'cheat code', found me out, and dragged me to his flat.

Without asking whether I was a Hunter or not.

"Eh?! What do you mean you're not a Hunter?" He shouted, clutching his head comically.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you for the past five minutes," I shook my head in mock exasperation.

Tom seemed to deflate for a while, but he was suddenly back to his bubbly self once again.

"Nah, who cares about it! You're still gonna be my student, ya hear?"

Hence, I found a teacher. A powerful teacher with really unique personality during my days in Heavens Arena.

_Meanwhile..._

"Achoo!"

Killua rubbed his hands against his bare arms, trying to conserve some warmth.

"How dare that shrimp leave me here! Next time we meet, I gonna kill her!"

Well maybe that wasn't exactly a healthy friendship.

* * *

**Chapter 5 done now:) The first draft was only touching the 3000 word count mark, so I pulled an extra scene there, though it is still far from the 4000 mark. I'm making 5000 my goal for average chapters, just you wait, readers!**

**Freya's going to learn nen now, with proper guidance. Initially, I wanted to add chapters of her finding Hanzo's ninja place, but I really want to get into canon ASAP, so I guess that would come in the future. I'll timeskip to canon next chapter, maybe if I don't feel so choppy about my writings?**

**Still finding the perfect power for Freya, have been considering some of the reviews! But I'm still open for more suggestions! You still can answer to this new question though, if u're out of suggestions:**

**_Should Hana (as in Hana Kuruta, not my main OC) stay with Freya throughout the story? Or should she...? I do have some planning for her, but I want to hear your suggestions!_**

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**Review Replies:**

**Retz (guest): Hello again:D Thanks for the review and suggestion:) I'm considering the butterfly part, seeing how much I am relating to that creature... Ya, I agree that Light/Shadow power is awesome! But then it'll be too OP (over powered) and I want my fic to be as creative as possible! And the illusion part... I'm really tempted to use it, but then as one of the other guest pointed it out, that another fic already have that power... And 'jinx' is not a name (it could be, though) it is a word defined as 'bring bad luck to' or something like that. Awaiting your next review (eyes shining) :D**

**Zuta-chan: Haha, yepp! When I write the story I was also anticipating her to hurry up meet someone I know! But then Killua was a pain in the ass to write too... Like I really dunno his personality **

**FreeWeirdGal: Hello:) Yepp, I agree that there isn't a lot of SI here... Hmmm Sharingan is a bloodlimit, so I couldn't really use it, the same goes to Yamanaka's (did i spell that right?) Mind Transfer Jutsu. The Hunter X Hunter series can use nen to make into a Ko/Ryo, so enhanced strength isn't a prob. And Rasengan is too Naruto trademark... Maybe I'll do an omake in the future saying that she tried to practice that and failed epically? (Evil laughter) Thanks for the review:D Made my day~~**

**Guest: Illusion... Such a decision to make. And the butterflies... Arh Currently readign the story Crying Wolf by Riseha:) I had a feeling you wrote wrongly...**

**tsuna: Yay thanks:D And yes, Freya's a girl. Thoroughly, 100% girl:P Yepp, Child-Killua is cute to the max. But a pain to write. You'd know how to write Gon and Kurapika and sort, but Killua... Uwaaa too difficult! Initially, i had wanted the invisibility but then I realised that Meleoron uses that, then I was like, my fantastic idea gone... I think the dimensional idea is sort of defeating the purpose of this story, since she could just leave... maybe I'll put up a omake about it? Like how she want to go home then attempted it... But failed! Yes I'm evil (Muhahaha) Good think it's Hunter World, cuz a lot to choose... And think about. Thanks for your suggestions!**

**A really big THANKS to all Reviewers, Followers and Favourites!**


	6. Omake 1

Omake 1 — Killua's Interlude

A Zoldyck's Birthday

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7th July. It meant nothing more to him than any other dates. It might have marked the day that he was born, but that was it.

After all, a Zoldyck was only an assassin, and killers didn't celebrate the birth of a life.

Killua wondered, idly, as he gave his opponent a finishing blow, what it was meant to happen on this day, if he was born in a different family. Once, on his way back from a murder — it was successful, so had been all his assassinations — he had passed by a brightly lit house, so bright and dazzling that Killua could see the blood on his hands and shirt. So bright and blinding that he suddenly stopped and, hesitantly, pressed his hands onto the cold, glass surface of a window and peered into it.

All of them were wearing weird, cone-like hats. A white cake, decorated with fancy words and candles, laid on the round table. People gathered around it, as a boy — who was, undoubtedly, in the limelight — clasped his hands and squeezed his eyes tightly, as if wishing for something. And then, he had blown out the dancing fires of the candlewick, and everyone clapped and sang.

Killua was only five that time and he didn't understand. However, he knew that they weren't his target and left them alone.

Thunder-like claps surrounded him, as if the claps from his memory had sounded into reality. Killua blinked once, and shook himself out of his musings as he gracefully landed below the raised platform of the arena and walked away.

He was nothing more than an assassin, he told himself.

...

Killua didn't resist as the strange girl — Freya, she called herself — pulled him, dragging him to her teacher's apartment. He didn't resist, because he found it useless, Freya was surprisingly stubborn this time, and because he really couldn't find any better things to do after that match he just won.

The blond-haired girl forced him to sit on a chair, giving him one of her usual mischievous smirks, and promptly switched off the lights. It didn't bother him too much. An assassin was supposed to be a hunter in the dark, among the shadows.

What made him widened his eyes into the size of tennis balls, and his mouth to go agape, was the familiar dancing of flames on those fancy candles.

"Surprise!" The blond had laughed, giggling as she pulled out a wrapped package. It was heavy, his mind registered, before Freya dumped the box onto the table, beside the cake that her teacher had just carried into the room.

Too much things to apprehend at the moment, his mind betrayed him and shut down, and Killua could only managed an unintelligent "What?" as his eyes trailed from the flames, the chocolate cake, and the wrapped box.

"It's called a 'Birthday Party', you dummy," Freya sighed as she shook her head in simple defeat, like she had expected him to know it all along. "You know, those parties which friends celebrate for each other?"

If Killua wasn't so busy getting caught up by the new information, he might not have missed the slight wince before Freya bit her lips into a smile.

"So... What do I do now?" He asked, suddenly unsure about everything.

She gave an exasperated sigh once again, but he could just sense the amused twinkle in her eyes.

"You clasp your hands together like this–" she demonstrated, and for a split second, Killua only saw the boy he had seen years ago, in that bright room. "– and you make a wish. Then you blow the candles." She said slowly, in a playful, teasing tone.

He sat there, numbly, before his body mechanically took over and he clasped his hands, shut his eyes and blew the candle. For a while, if he closed his eyes, he could almost imagine he was the boy in the brightly lit room, and he was surrounded with all those people who laughed and sang for him.

He opened his eyes to the blinding glare of lights, just as the blond girl shoved a plastic knife into his hand.

He was puzzled.

"We're fighting?"

The girl gave him a look as if he had grown a second head. "No, you're cutting the cake. You're the birthday boy, Killua. Oh, and after that, you can open your present. It's a birthday gift, just so if you're wondering. And yes, it's my gift to you, so you pretty be damn grateful about it..."

"You know, I still won't forgive you two for what you did that day."

"_See_, I told you it wouldn't work, kid!"

"..."

...

Years had passed, and the memory had became a faded, yellow page in his life journal. But, Killua could recall, vividly, how sweet the chocolate was. And how bright that room had been.

The twin yoyo had been with him ever since.

* * *

**Hello guys;) yepp, I'm not dead. And sorry guys for not updating last week (dodges tomatoes behind a wall)**

**Whelp... I've actually been sick, but to tell the good news, I'm writing a super long chapter for the Hunter Exam:D it's like, the looonnnngggeeesssttt one I've ever written. It's already going on 8,000 and I'm only on the Trick Tower!**

**This omake is initially planned to combine with my next chapter, but I think the wait is too long, so I'll post this first.**

**AND! I've recently watched the HxH movie and it's awesome! It's mostly centred around Omokage, and since Freya has a hand on the Phantom Troupe, she's definitely involved! I actually can't wait for her to hurry up:P**

**So wait a little more for my next update;)**

**Review Question:**

**_Do you guys want Freya to follow Gon and Killua to go to the Celestial Tower entirely? (I planned for her to at least make a trip there) Or do you want her to tag with Kurapika for some time?_**

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**Review Replies:**

**Zuta-chan: Of course! I had a good laugh from that too:P**

**tsuna (guest): Thanks! Hmmm I have a few plans derived from your review;) Hana's future once Freya leaves or something (eheheh. I'm not spoiling anyone here) is still on process of constructing:)) Here's your chapter ^^**

**Retz (guest): Hello again! (Waves before dodging behind a wall to avoid Unicorn Beam) Wheww at least I'm not a rainbow now hahaha:D As usual, thanks for your support and answering to my questions;) Hana's current and near future fate have been decided :P And yepp, she's gonna stay by Freya for quite a while. I've decided what Freya's gonna be by now:D And your review really makes my day:)) And lastly (dodges Unicorn Beam once again) do you know that Retz is the sister of Omokage, ex-Phantom Troupe member. I'll be updating once I finish the whole of Hunter Exam, just you wait! (Runs away from unicorn)**

**Chitsuki-Tokiwa: Thank you! Sorry for the long wait, though. Hope you enjoy this chapter:D**


	7. I Take an Exam

Chapter 6

I take an Exam

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I could do _nothing_ to wipe that silly grin off my face.

Over the years, I had achieved several things which could make myself puff with pride, but they could never be compared to the excitement I was currently feeling.

Even more so when I had bought back Kura's eyes, though _that_ was quite an event as well.

During my stay in the Celestial Tower around five years ago, I had earned back enough money for Kurapika's eyes after weeks and months of fighting and heisting, even if it was by squeezing my schedule and hurrying to a match in the middle of a nen training or a Phantom Troupe initiated heist. The Troupe demanded active participation, so I couldn't really do anything about it.

As I had found out, Tom's name wasn't Tom, nor Tonpa (I'd kill myself if he actually was). His real name was actually Chadd Bovet, but I still continued calling him 'Tom' anyway, not that he actually responded to his own name. (I still remembered, vividly, some days where he had gone to the wrong floors to fight the wrong opponents... Simply because he forgot his own name...)

Yeah, I figured my new sensei was on the mentally unstable side on the same day I had known him. Didn't need anymore explanation, right?

I had gotten my Body Flicker (it's officially my trademark move now, but please don't sue me!) down to a satisfactory degree, able to teleport up to two kilometre for travel and a specific location within 200 metres in battles. I could also manage passenger transport, but that would shorten my distance and decrease my accuracy.

Five years was a long time. Five years of continuous trainings made me really confident in my skills to pass the Hunter's Exam. But as I thought about it, after this exam, I would only had another year for the Chimera Ant Arc, it sent shudders down my spine.

I meant, even Netero, the _Chairman_ of this Hunter's Association, had to sacrifice himself to defeat Meryem, and Kaito had died by the hands of Pitou, in a really short one-sided slaughter to boot, what chance did I stand?

Even if I had mastered perfect control of nen, I could only hope against hope to survive it. Not to mention, Gon and Killua had already covered the concepts of using nen by that time, trained by Biscuit at the Greed Island.

My grin dropped a bit, as my logical side kicked in.

It's okay, Hana whispered, the fragment of Red Tear warming against my chest.

I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, the smell of various delicious dishes wafting into my nose.

And I ordered. "Steak Combo please! Preferably cooked carefully, over a low flame."

* * *

In case anyone was wondering about this, yes, I cheated. Since I knew the exact location of this year's Hunter Exam, I had just taken the ultra short route, by directly ordering from the restaurant beside the really majestic building which Gon and co. mistook for the venue of the exam.

Seriously, that skyscraper was attracting all the attention in the whole of Zaban City because it was just so grand and tall that if buildings could ever talk, it would be asking them to bow down before it.

... And I think Tom/Chadd was totally to be blamed for any more weirdness I emitted.

Surprisingly, the Phantom Troupe didn't oppose me taking the exam, if anything, Shalnark had discreetly supported me. But as I thought about it, Hisoka was entering the exam as well. (I earnestly feared for last year's exam applications. Let's just say that the first time I met Hisoka... I was pretty lucky to have survived, even when I wasn't all that skilful back then.)

I was the last person to enter the exam. Being the paranoid person, I wanted to reduce any possible Butterfly Effect, even if it was just a trivial thing such as the application number.

Naturally, I got my number pin, 406, just before the alarm ring.

Now that I put some thought about it, the alarm was a bit disturbing, too. Like, the head of a green doll rolling its eyes in all directions and swinging its tongue around?

Maybe that was Satotz's wish to get a mouth or something.

(Sorry Satotz, please don't kill me in my sleep.)

The walls lifted right as the alarm was put to a stop, and the whole tunnel shook as if caught in a mini-earthquake. Right behind that wall, was the lavender-haired man, our first phrase examiner known as Satotz, in all his mouthless glory.

Satotz began his warning about the risks of the Hunter Exam, telling people to quit if they want and blah blah blah, while all the while I was gaping at the moving moustache.

I wondered why no one had been freaked out by this.

This was just not right! How could he talk without a mouth!

(Then again, Kaito had died and reborn into a girl, Biscuit was actually an only granny in a teen's body, and Gon could grow like, 10 or 20 years just by sheer will, I didn't really know there was anything that was impossible in this world.)

After explaining finish everything, Satotz declared the start of the Hunter's Exam.

* * *

It would be too highly judged if I ever said that the first phrase was, in any way, _exciting_. What more could you do besides moving your legs left right left right and so on? It was really boring, so after the first ten minutes I had switched on my 'sleep' mode and left my body to its own accord.

Then, after another ten minutes, I was getting even more bored, so I weaved in and out of the crowd, starting random conversations with random dudes. I was careful enough to keep distance from some people who would most likely cause trouble (like a certain magician and a certain pin-head) or other people (Gon and co. With newly added member of a certain albino) who would most likely ruin the entire storyline or something.

Gon and Killua should most definitely have their quality time as the first meeting of this universe's best BFF pairing. Ignoring the fact that I had royally screwed up like, five years ago. But I think Illumi still brainwashed him so it would be okay, I guess?

Someone ran too close for my comfort, and I subtly diverged from him, forcing myself not to look that way. I sent a small wave of nen to identify him, and when I did, I skipped a step.

Making my next step as wide as the last, so as not to show this tiny slip-up, I speeded up a little, so that I could pull distance between him and me.

_I hope he doesn't recognise me. _Then, after a second's pause,_ I really hope he will forgive me._

* * *

I watched, impassively, as contestants dropped onto the floor like dead flies. The small Leorio incident had already occurred, and we were now speeding up the stairs. If I were my old self back in my world, I would never be able to accomplish such achievements like running for hours non-stop. But here I was, already gone through more than 6 hours of speeding without breaking a sweat.

If anything, boredom would be more likely to kill me than the actual running part.

"It's another kid," a really familiar voice called out, excitement lingering in his tone.

Huh Gon wasn't it...

Wait a minute, why was his voice like so damn _familiar_? Like someone I'd heard before.

Or maybe it was just my imagination. He was the _main character_ of this story-turned-reality for a good reason.

The two caught up to me within the span of 5 seconds, and I beamed at them.

Screw that, I had a feeling my smile was kinda crooked, because Killua was right when he said he wanted to kill me _that day_. And he was really persistent about it, so much I doubt anything would make him forget/forgive.

Lucky thing that I brought some disguise. Like this brown, shabby, and _totally_ cool cloak-with-hood I was wearing. What? Mysterious figures always wear hoods or cloaks, so sue me. (On second thought, please don't. I'm a poor guy, you see?)

"Hello, I'm Gon. This is Killua," Gon introduced, jabbing a thumb at himself then at Killua, who didn't look too happy about it.

"I'm... er, Machi!" I grinned cheerfully, instantly borrowing one of the Spider's name, since pranks and teasing were regardless of time and venue.

_Heh, I'm a sadistic through and through._

"Nice to meet you, Machi!" Gon said just as cheerfully, and I could almost see sparkles and flowers in the background.

"Likewise," I responded, just as Killua grunted some incoherent words in the background.

Inwardly, I was smirking. So my disguises weren't so bad. After all, I had been extra cautious and even coated a thin layer of nen to mask my identity.

"Machi," Gon called, "you want to race to the top?"

"I'll have to pass. Be straight behind you guys, though."

And Killua, being his usual self, muttered something about me being too scared to lose.

It took Hana all she could to make me stay calm.

* * *

Before I even reach the second phrase, I made it a good point to say as close to Satotz as possible. I did not stop even when the fog thickened, nor did I when Gon went back to check on his friends.

And since then, I had been with running with Killua.

_Awkward~_

"What is your objective here?"

Suddenly the temperature dropped several degrees, and it didn't seem to have to do with the marsh we were running through. We kept up with Satotz (who was still walking in that... unique manner) in a distance not to far to get lost, and not too near for him to over hear us.

And oh, Killua had gone to his '_dark_' mode.

"To become a hunter, of course," I grinned mischievously.

Killua narrowed his eyes, but he didn't question it further.

We continued the run across the marshlands, but after that conversation, for several times we warned each other of the incoming danger.

* * *

For part one of the second phrase, it had been quite a breeze for me since I had already known the weakness of the Great Stump Boars (_yes, Imma cheater and proud of it!_) I watched, with no small amount of mirth, as the participants' face changed from shock and puzzlement, to dismay and such.

Funny how the human face could change into so many expressions within a span of 1 minute.

When I first watched Hunter x Hunter, I had been confused, because who in the world would not know that heavenly food known as _sushi_? It was until I watched the oldest version of HxH anime, I fathom why so. That each of the country and religion on Earth corresponded to some in the HxH world.

I quietly headed to the nearest stream, the sound of running water guiding me as I trekked through the unruly forest undergrowth. As I reached my destination, I took a moment to close my eyes, appreciating nature, its sound, its smell, and its touch on where my bare skin showed.

Moments later, I returned with a fully filled container with fish as the rest of the Hunter Exam participants rampaged out of the building (which, frankly, I didn't know what to call it) towards a water body.

Perfect timing for me, so it seemed.

To be honest, I was never an expert at cooking, but due to the fact that I was constantly surrounded with people who didn't know how to do so (like Tom and Killua and even most of the Phantom Troupe members, if you don't count roasting skinned animals over campfires), I had experimented with the cooking materials, and slowly, I learned.

I had made sushi sometimes (it was just that awesome), but it was those kind of 'put-rice-and-any-stuff-and-wrap-a-seaweed-around-it' (I believed they were called Makizushi) because Nigirizushi, the ones that Menchi ordered, was much harder to make and messier to eat, especially when the rice was not adjusted to the right stickiness.

Good thing they already prepared the rice for us to make our lives easier... Not that the Hunter Exam was a joke for the ill-equipped anyway.

I dipped my head in acknowledgement to the two examiners, and went to a random station, and started preparing. Menchi raised an eyebrow but I continued, and taking the now empty room to my advantage, I explained, taking all the time in the world.

"You had mentioned sushi to be hand-pressed, and from the small shallow dish of soy sauce I can infer that sushi is something comparable to the size of eggs," I stated, grinning proudly all the while. "And of course, the last crucial point is that..." Cue dramatic pause. "... I have know and eaten sushi before!"

From across the room, Menchi looked like she had sweatdropped and Buhara scratched the back of his head. I walked across to them, and presented them with the sushi.

As expected, Menchi did not approve, but her attitude was significantly better than how she treated the others in Canon. Meaning, she didn't 1) flip the plate over, 2) shout at my face and 3) start saying how crappy I was.

"The strawberry juice from the Segame is a nice try, but it isn't really matching for sashimi sushi," she had commented, which was a more roundabout way of saying 'your taste-bug sucks, your brain sucks even more'. Okay maybe that was a bit too extreme.

I nodded, and equipped with the excuse of finding more ingrediant, I wandered out of the building.

To enjoy my _own_ handmade sushi.

As I had known, passing the second phrase part two by sushi would draw too much unwanted attention. Not to mention, I didn't have 10 years to waste on mastering sushi when I could be busying training so I could venture out to the Dark Continents to find a way home. No offences to any sushi-masters out there.

Chewing on a piece of cooked-fish sushi (I didn't like raw fish if it wasn't salmon) dipped into soy sauce, I organised my thoughts. Hmmm, so Netero would soon be coming, and we'd be redoing this second phrase by boiling a spider eagle's egg.

While I had known all three version of HxH, the manga, and both the older version of the anime, and the 2011 version, I had known the little details which varied. For example, in the manga, Menchi had came back from the ravine of Mount Split-in-halves by climbing up, but in the 2011 anime, she had waited for a updraft to carry her up.

Which one would it be? Part of me thought it more logical for the updraft, because I thought it worked theoretically. And Menchi's hair was green. I knew it seemed random, but trust me, my photographic memory told me that the Menchi in the 1999 Anime had pink hair.

Yes, I remembered the _randomest_ things.

I laid on my back, satisfied with the variety of sushi, daydreaming and watching the clouds in the sky.

At this rate... I might even become a Nara. (One of the clan from Naruto, famous for their Shadow jutsu and laziness.)

A gong sounded in the direction of the building where the second phrase was supposedly held, marking the end of the phrase, and the failure of a total of 71 participants.

I returned to the building just as a man went flying over me. Sparing him a glance, I noted him to be the so called martial artist, but he was not significant so I didn't bother to remember his name. Menchi was fuming, and juggling the knife-cleaver with ease, making a show in front of the participants.

I ran a hand through my hair, yawning and rubbing any sleep from my eyes, waiting. I perked up when Netero's voice was broadcasted from the sky.

"That said, wouldn't it be a bit too harsh to fail every single applicant?"

Immediately, everyone's attention was focused on the aircraft floating in the sky.

"That's the symbol of the Hunter Association! Is it someone from the Selection Committee?" Someone on the ground called, pointing a finger at the double cross on the side of the balloon while the rest of the hunter-hopefuls squinted their eyes against the glaring sunlight.

I made sure to take several steps back when a figure jumped out from the airship so as not to get dust flying into my eyes or something. Though, for extra protection, I pulled down the hood a little bit more.

"The chairman of the Selective Committee, the one in charged of the Hunter Exam, Netero-kaichou," she introduced, her eyes not once leaving the older man, showing the amount of respect she held for him.

I zoned out for the most part of their conversation, snapping back into reality just when all the participants aboard the huge air balloon to a certain mountain.

* * *

Menchi's demonstration had confirmed it to be following the 2011 anime series.

I leapt off from the ledge right after the four very important people, and grabbed onto the spider eagle's web, dangling myself on a silky rope, composited of fine threads twisted together.

**Evan?**

I hummed.

**I think we have a problem... **Hana trailed off uncertainly, but it was enough to make me realised one blunder that I had make.

_Shit._

If the web was going to snap just when Gon and the other let go, then what if they had the weight of _one more_ person, albeit a child? Just like a split second could matter a win or a lose in a fight, a few crucial kilos adding to the web would mean the whole diverging from the original storyline.

I cursed once again, shifting my weight so that it wasn't so taxing on the spider eagle's web, and I sent over some nen to strength the bonds between the webs and the walls of stones, hoping that it would at least provide some help.

Obviously, it wasn't enough, as the faintest of tears appeared on the strands connected to the side of the valley.

Some idiots immediately released the silk rope, sky-diving into their death. The more intelligent ones were all looking at Gon, who was concentrating on the feel of the wind. I noted Hisoka who seemed to be considering to use his nen if the web ever snaps.

Before the tear could get any worse, my hand relaxed, and I felt the brush of wind cutting my face whenever I attempt such a stunt. Ignoring the pairs upon pairs of eyes upon me, I more-than-calmly plucked an egg from the rest gently, and let myself fall.

And, _nope_. I wasn't feeling suicidal nor insane.

Just as the thick fog embraced me, cloaking me in its safety from curious eyes and unwanted attention, I reached for my nen, teleporting myself at a rate of 10 metres per second upwards, such that I was just hovering in mid air and not falling to my death.

I barely held back a sigh of relief as a huge current of air rushed from below me, and for a while I almost forget my little prank. Hugging the Dream Egg in my chest with a hand, I held the hood in place over my head with the other, just in time to meet the other applicants struggling over the edge of the ravine.

I landed on my feet, crouching them to absorb most of the force since I did not want to use any more nen for the day, and I blinked, scanning my surroundings for a specific group of four.

The expressions on their face changed from a few second's of surprise to a tinge of awe and impress.

"Haven't been expecting me alive and kicking?" I grinned manically.

"How did you survive it? That was cool!" Gon exclaimed, being the most expressive member of their little clique.

"It's a secret," I mock-whispered to him, giggling a bit at the end.

Kurapika opened his mouth to comment on something, but whatever he wanted was cut short when Menchi fetched an oversized pot, shouting for us to boil the egg, which was, in the end, our criteria to pass second phrase.

By twilight, the qualified applicants were savouring every bite of the dream egg, and even I was moaning like mad. Wait whoops, that didn't sound _right_.

"Ne, Todo-san," and my head turned towards a certain spiky-haired child on instinct, my hood nearly coming off as a result (nearly being the key word), "would you mind a bite?"

Menchi had smiled, (_smiled_, and not smirked, which was a good sign,) and walked over, and as Todo (finally got his name, not that I'd remember it for very long) came to a realisation that, yes, the egg was heavenly and we should all appreciate food.

"The joy of discovering new exquisite food," Menshi said, "can you understand it a little more now? We gourmet hunters are risking our lives for that."

From what I could see, Todo had totally admitted his defeat, but with a newfound respect, he bowed slightly towards Menchi, and he said, determination reflected in his whole figure , "I'll be back next year." _And I'll pass this exam._

_Poor guy_, I mused. _He didn't know that Killua would be the only one passing next year... Unless I screw up big._

"It's the resolution which matters in the end, right?" I concluded softly.

Menchi looked at me, the shortest moment of the fleeting surprise on her face

"Of course."

Finishing the last of our eggs, the 43 qualified participants boarded the airship.

* * *

"Let's explore the ship!"

Initially, Killua had decided it with Gon only, but Gon dragged me along, so the three of us were now scampering all around the place like some overly energetic kids... Which we were.

Getting kicked out from approximately twelve times later, we finally finished every corner of the vehicle, and we sat by a glass panel, peering over it and admiring the night view.

"Wow!" Gon exclaimed, hands pressed on the glass. "They look like jewels!" Referring to the city lights.

True to his words, the ground sparkled as if being covered with millions of crushed jewels. And believe me, I knew exactly how _that_ (the jewel, I meant) looked like, literally.

So we sat by the window, entranced for a while before Gon broke the silence.

"Ne, I've been wondering," he began, and both of us acknowledged it by our own little ways, me tearing my face from the window to look at Gon while Killua just gave a soft hum. "Where are your mum and dad?"

I ran a hand across my face to feigned a gesture of tiredness, covering up any tiny slip-ups I might have not suppressed. Instinctively, the gears in my mind turned and the long-thought and planned story of my parents was shoved back into my mind, and I rehearsed those words once again silently to fix anything unplausible.

"Hmmm... They're alive," Killua drawled, then, as if an afterthought, added, "probably."

"What do they do?" Gon continued questioning, like the cute innocent kid he was, all wide eyes and ears perked up, waiting for Killua to tell the tales.

"Assassins." Killua said calmly, as though he was stating the weather.

"Huh? Both of them?"

Killua turned to look at Gon, who was already staring at him. I pretty much yawned and met the gaze of child-whose-parents-were-assassins and stared back in the best deadpan look I could muster, not that he would actually see my face that clearly, since I was very well protected by a hood.

Then, Killua's lips stretched into a grin, and it quickly morphed into laughter. "This is your first reaction?" He forced in between gasps of laughter, "Really interesting, you two!"

"Huh?"

"You are the first people who have ever responded seriously," Killua said, locking eye contact with Gon, before looking over to me. "And that reaction I've gotten from you... Pity that you're wearing a cloak."

"But it's true, right?" Gon responded seriously, and almost instantly, Killua's smile was being wiped off his face.

He blinked once, then asked "What makes you think that?"

Sensing the slight hesitance in his question, I turned slightly away from the glass window (we were travelling away from the city, so there weren't really anymore dazzling lights to watch anymore) and quirked an eyebrow at him. Then again, I wasn't sure if it was just a waste of energy since I was still wearing my cloak.

"Somehow," Gon replied.

Deciding to add my two cents into it, I coughed lightly into the palms of my hand to gain their attention. "What makes you think that we don't believe you? What's wrong with being in a family of assassins?"

"That's weird..." Killua laid his head on the table in front of the benches in mock-defeat. "Most people find me charming because they don't know when I'm serious or not."

"Really, I'd like to meet _those_ people," I muttered sarcastically, soft enough not to let either boys to hear because I didn't wish to ruin this moment of confession.

"I came from a family of assassins," Killua finally began staring out of the window with a faraway look. "All of my family member are. And so, my whole family has really hopes for me. However, I don't like it. Who wants to have their life planned out for them?"

Then, he turned towards us, with a look of annoyance most likely directed to his... family of assassins. "When I told my family I wanted to decide my own future, they all snapped! My mother had tears streaming down her face, telling me how I have the potential to be a top assassin."

Gon laughed nervously, but Killua just continued on. "Horrible parents, right? Its natural their kid would go bad. We ended up fighting. I stabbed my mother in the face and my elder brother in the side, and ran away from home. I'm sure they're out of blood now." Killua smirked evilly. "But if they find me, I'll send them packing."

I could felt that both Gon and I sweatdropped at the same moment, and just as sudden, there was a dreamy look on Killua's face, "when I become a Hunter, I'll start by capturing my family. I'm sure their heads are worth some hefty bounties..."

Somehow, I could see a background of sparkles behind the dreamy Killua.

"What about you, Machi?" Gon asked, and the attention was switched from Killua to me. Calmly, I gathered a breath and smiled.

"Well, for starters, they aren't here," I responded. "I used to have a family with my parents and my elder brother, but all of them died."

That wasn't the _exact_ truth, but since I was now in Hana's body, and I had asked for her permission for anything which led to anything like background and such.

"Oh..." Gon trailed off, not knowing how to respond. I was kinda interested to read Killua's expression, if not for Gon blocking my view and me feeling too unsentimental if I randomly shifted my head so I could take a look at Killua.

So instead, I settled for another of my grins and laughed light-heartedly. "Don't go all sappy on me, you two! We all have something bad we experience, after all."

Gon nodded, and just then, I felt the wave of what seemed like the most watered down version of Killing Intent. Nope. Not really Killing Intent, but something similar. Something which demonstrated just as much power and presence without the malicious feeling of it.

But to Killua, it probably didn't seem much different as I noticed his eyes narrowed and darkened marginally, signifying the brief entering into his 'dark' mode.

Gon and Killua had been shifted unconsciously into a defensive stance, facing the direction of which the power had been first showed. However, as I already had known this part and forced myself into a relaxed stance that only years of being in a A-Class Bounties Organisation would master, with only my back towards the window, which seemed to be the best choice at the moment.

It took me less than a second to compose myself and focus on the right direction, to find Netero casually strolling down the corridor.

"Something wrong?" He asked, impartial to the minimal tension.

The three of us watched him, though in different attitude. Gon was staring at him with curiosity, me with skepticism, and Killua was watching over him like an animal on guard.

We might have remained silent over this stare-off if not for Gon breaking it.

"Ah, Netero-san..." Gon pointed a finger towards where he first felt the strong presence. "Did you see anyone coming from that side?"

"No," Netero denied with a shake of his head.

"You're pretty fast for an old man," Killua said, an edge to his tone.

_No shit, Sherlock. _He was the President of the Hunter's Association for a goddamn reason!

"That little trick?" He smiled, like he was childishly proud of it, but one look and I could tell he was trying to piss someone off. "I barely moved."

The tension sky-rocketed.

"What do you want? You don't have to do anything until the last phrase, right?"

Knowing exactly what was about to happen in the next few hours, I shrugged my shoulders, choosing to remain impassive.

"Don't be so hostile. I'm just looking for some people to play with since I get bored." Netero smiled again, eyes forming two upside down cresents. "By the way, I meant to ask the three of you... Any thought on you first attempt at the Hunter examination?"

"Exactly how I expected," I replied cheekily, adding my trademark mischievous grin for the effect, once again forgetting about the cloak.

"Uh-huh! It's fun! And there haven't been any of the written exams I was dreading." Gon went second.

"I'm disappointed... I expected the exam to be far more difficult. I assumed the next phase will be more entreating?" It was obviously a challenge, when Killua had said it.

"Well, now... I wouldn't know about that."

"Let's go, you two," Killua, clearly annoyed by the situation at hand, turned to walk away.

"Now wait just a moment." Netero spoke, successfully piquing Killua's interest enough to stop him in his track. "Would you care to play a game with me?"

"A game?" Gon pressed.

"If you're able to defeat me, I shall give the approval for you to be Hunters!" Netero said, confidence seeping in his voice.

"Really? I'll play!" Needless to say, Gon was all excited and hyped up for this.

"So how about it, eh?"

Netero smirked triumphantly at the glaring Killua, knowing very well he had won this round.

* * *

In five minutes, the four of us were ready for the game. Netero had changed and came back with a ball, and guided us to a padded room which would hopefully reduce any damage if we ever crashed into the walls or whatnot.

"I won't be able to touch you. However, you may attack me as you wish," Netero stated, finishing the last of the rules to his little game.

"Huh? That'll be too easy. You can't call that a game," Gon said, oblivious to the fact that this old man in front of us, would be the strongest human he would be meeting for a long, long time.

I stressed on the word '_human_', which meant it did _not_ include Chimera-ants and super-humans in which Gon's father was probably included in that category.

"Why not give it a try first?" Netero provoked lightly.

"We'll just have to take the ball?" Killua questioned. Receiving a confirmation from the older man, he continued. "Then, I'll go first."

"Go ahead."

And Killua did, circling around Netero like a predator after its prey. With a grin, I knew exactly what he was trying to pull.

"You have done me proud, young one," I mock-commended softly, all sage-like as though I was the one who taught him that technique. Well, actually, I did, by accident.

Gon, having caught what I had just said, turned to eye me with a puzzled look.

I only waved him off.

Soon enough, the room was filled with "lots of Killua", as I had quoted from Gon. Both Netero and I knew what the Rhythm Echo had done.

If Netero had been any other person, he might have lost this game. But since he was the all-powerful Netero, he dodged Killua's attacks easily, barely using half of his limbs.

Irritated, Killua went for a kick to stop Netero's movement, which was really foolish. Because, using gyo, I could see Netero channeling nen to his leg for a hardened Ko.

_Ouch, that must've hurt. A lot._ I winced.

And so, the two switched out.

Watching Gon's attempt had been hilarious, and I royally laughed my ass off when all the while Gon was clutching his abused head and Killua's shouts of "Idiot! We know you can jump really high!" And such.

"So, are you going to try for it, too?" Netero directed his attention to me, having recovered from his sweatdropping moment.

"Hmmm. I'm really interested in this..." I trailed off purposely. "But! I think I'll attempt at my own timing."

Netero, if anything, just raised an eyebrow, but otherwise did not say much.

* * *

Yes, I knew it that I _was_ a horrible person, and it was proven with Gon and Killua gawping at me, and Netero turning into a stone statue and said statue proceeded to crumble into dust and get blown away by the non-existent wind.

Yes, yes, I was being too _extreme_, but from the way it looked, I wouldn't have been surprised if that had _actually_ happened.

Now, _what_ had I done to earn such a reaction?

You see, the part where Gon cheated a little by deceit and used his left boot to increase his attack range, and his right boot to hit the ball away from the old man, had ended with Netero using a bit of his nen and getting the ball in the end.

However, being the person I was, my body had unconsciously readied itself, cutting off my aura from leaking.

And, on pure instinct, I reached for my nen in an all too familiar way, pulling it over me and through space.

Of course, I had ended up with the yellow-black ball in hand, but not before realising what I had done.

And not to mention, due to the abruptness, I had _neglected_ my hoodie.

"Err, sorry about that?" I said apologetically, rubbing the back of my now exposed head with one hand, the other gripped around the rubber ball. And there goes my pranks of mind-blowing a certain old-geezer-in-child-form, aka Killua.

Netero had been expecting his game to be interesting, but evidently _not_ been expecting for his challengers to actually win the game.

"That's great, Machi! You're really strong!" One Gon Freecs had his fist clenched in the upmost excitement, eyes sparkling at the brief display.

"No," Killua said, darkly, effectively cutting off whatever he wanted to say. "She isn't Machi."

Just as the words left him, and before I even had the time to hissed a quick curse, I had defended myself against a flurry of kicks and punches.

"Wait a second, Killua! What are you doing?" Gon shouted in worry by the sidelines, but Killua just ignored me.

"I'm really sorry!" I cried out desperately. "I've already given you birthday presents to make that out!"

Killua stopped in mid-punch, just as his fist has about to connect to somewhere which I knew the result could only be pain, misery, and more pain.

"Please, oh great Killua-sama! Please consider it!" I cried comically, two hands gripped together in a prayer-like, the rubber ball long-forgotten.

Killua rubbed his chin with a finger, as if seriously taking it into account. "Okay," he finally decided, and I forged a deep sigh of relief.

Fighting had only been part of our friendship, after all. I sensed the grin he had hid all the while, and I knew very well there was something similar on my face.

We grinned at each other, sizing each other up even after we had done so, in a brief trading of blows.

"Long time no see," I began, with a smirk on my face.

"You've become stronger," Killua said in a likewise manner.

"Huh? I don't get this," Gon scratched his head.

"Allow me to re-introduce myself!" I grinned, recalling the very old introduction I had once given to my fellow Phantom Troupe mates. "I'm Freya! Spelt as F-R-E-Y-A. I like to play, and on occasions to prank people, and I hate getting bored. I am a specialist, and I'm a ninja. My dream is to explore the world! That's why I want to become a Hunter!"

"Ninja? You're related to Hanzo?"

If I had been drinking water, I would have spitted it out.

"Nope. In no _freaking_ way. Hanzo is a shinobi. He fights for his country. I'm a freelance, so I don't fight for any nations, or tribes, or anything. Unless there is money involved. So in a way, I guess we–" I jabbed a finger at Killua, then at myself. "–are alike in some ways."

"To explore the world, huh. So that's your reason to become a Hunter?" Netero asked.

"Yup!" I nodded.

I would do _all_ I could to reach home. I had vowed that a long time ago.

"This is bad... I haven't been expecting any one of you actually winning. But truthfully speaking, you could have gotten the ball even without their help, right?"

Killua glared at me.

I beamed in response. "Of course!"

And Gon had to restrain a Killua who was out to kill me again. ("You Shrimp! How _dare_ yo–")

"Tell you what, since a promise is a promise, but I can't make the exam too easy even though I know fully well that you could pass it." Netero stroke his beard. "How about I allow you to skip one, but only one, phrase only?"

I hadn't been expecting myself to act, but I pulled the consequences too with a smile and a nod. "Okay!"

At least, with my interfere, two people wouldn't have to die tonight, I mused, as I watch Killua and Gon regrouping so that they could (as Killua quoted) "show that Shrimp they're _way_ better than her."

* * *

**And... CUT! Yes, I repeat. CUT! This is only part of the original Chapter 6, because the original one is supposed to cover the whole of Hunter's Exam in one single chapter. But I think it's getting too long, plus I haven't write finish, so I'm breaking this up cuz I can :D**

**NOTE!**

**I've found like, a thousand plotholes in my story, since I hadn't exactly started this story seriously. You know, I had initially wanted this to be a crack!fic, so I hadn't done much planning until the recent chapters. Below are a few plotholes I wish to be ignored.**

**1) I have never watched the HxH movie before I start the story, so I didn't know that Pario was actually BLIND and not just have some eye-disease. So in that case I decided that you guys ignore Chapter 2 details.**

**2) I've checked wikia and it says that the Body Flicker is NOT teleportation, but rather a really high speed jutsu or something. Once again, for the sake of me, please ignore it.**

**3) I might re-write the story if the story os well-received, like maybe a lot of people urge me to. But seriously, currently this story is like my spur of the moment idea to write this story, so not a lot of things are gonna make sense.**

**Sorry guys... Bear with this author here until she decided to improve her writings. In the meantime, why not review this question?**

**Review Question:**

**_To all readers, would you rather have a super long story chapter but longer time taken to update (more words, but more waiting time also) or a shorter chapter update with lesser waiting time (lesser words, lesser time waiting)?_**

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**Retz (guest): Hello again:) I really have this urge to tell you to go make an account or something._. Well anyway, haha I've visited your friend's story... So yeah. And I can't seem to find the second Hunter x Hunter movie online! The Last Mission, is it? Every website I visited is either not aired or need create an account which I can't do so (because I've got no credit card!) If you ever got the link to watch the Hunter x Hunter: the Last Mission movie, can you please please state it? I really want to watch too (cries)**

**dragfillia: Hello tsuna/dragfillia:D Hahaha thanks for the suggestion! It's kinda close to what I had in mind too! Yes, I agree that birthday themes are nice, and in Hunter x Hunter fandom it seems to be quite common. Cuz birthdays are awesome:D I'll do plenty of OMAKE/Interludes in the future! Oh well, this chapter's around 7,000, quite long if you ask me:3**

**Yay have a fabulous day everyone! If anyone come across Hunter x Hunter: the Last Mission movie online, and it's free to watch, PM OR REVIEW ME! I very despo to watch it too! And it affects my fanfic, so it's a win-win situation for both of us!**


	8. Omake 2

Omake 2 — Shalnark's Interlude

Blood

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The colour, red, wasn't a big deal when it came to the members of Phantom Troupe. Nor blood. They knew they thieved and killed, and spilled blood, and they had grew accustomed to that. They had accepted it, and coped with it with their own ways.

But Freya _hadn't_.

It had just been a normal heist, and as usual Freya had been assigned the role of stealing the jewellery because of her specialisation of being able to teleport distances, making their job much faster and easier. However, what was out of the usual was that instead of her going back to their temporary meeting place, it had been shadowed, forcing Freya to actually stay and _watch_.

Watch the one-sided massacre, the spatters of blood raining across the once speckless walls and pools of it spreading outwards from still-warm bodies, painting the whole interior into a sinful crimson.

Shalnark shifted his body in front of Freya, but he made no actions to cover her eyes. He knew, she would have to accept this part of the Phantom Troupe sooner or later.

He observed, carefully, as Freya's eyes darted around, following the blurs of Nobunaga and Uvogin, wide yet unseeing, and a tint of the same red was reflected in her eyes.

Briefly, Shalnark wondered, as he mashed the control buttons on his remote, whether Freya was seeing what was currently happening around her or was she actually replaying and overlapping the scenes of the Kuruta Massacre with the current situation.

He could sense the turmoil of emotions conflicting within their newest 'temporary' member, putting her body into a fit of tremors. She seemed so lost, and she was just like that, unmoving. It was as if her legs suddenly grew roots which dug themselves deep into the very ground she stood.

Shalnark bit back any traces of his own emotions and plastered the typical blank face on. They were still in the middle of a battle, after all. With the barest of effort, he scooted off to retrieve his needle from a body which couldn't move anymore, and pressed it against the nape of the neck of some unfortunate victim.

When he was done, he unconsciously glanced over to check on Freya — Danchou had assigned him the role of looking after her, anyway.

He narrowed his eye, just so slightly, because what met him wasn't so expected.

The trembling and quakes stopped. Emotions were wiped away clean. And there was palpable Killing Intent clouded around who he had known as Freya.

_Killing Intent, _Shalnark thought idly, a privilege for Manipulators in a battle,_ was fuelled by different things, and hence the Killing Intent varies for different people._ Feitan's was probably due to the unjust treatment and the hell he had been through, and thus it was a calm rage. And Nobunaga and Uvogin would be pretty heated up if provoked the wrong way. Just to name a few.

Freya's Killing Intent was unlike most of the Spiders'. She wasn't angry, and Shalnark had never seen her so ever since the day of the Kuruta Massacre. No, what sent chills down the spine was the fact that Freya was _grinning_.

Grinning slyly, maniacally, like how a _cat_ would, when it saw a mouse.

And Shalnark knew that all cats would toy with their prey before planting their claws into the skull, breaking it with a '_snap_'.

That was nothing like the usual Freya he had known. His eyes never left her, and even though he knew he was much more powerful than the current Freya, his body took a defensive stance.

Then, Freya had _moved_.

Through the mass of people like a hot knife cutting through butter, teleporting from place to place like no tomorrow.

Granted, she was never as fast as Feitan, but it was truly remarkable that she was already on her way to catch up with him. Or at least, catching up with the Feitan he had first met years ago in Meteor City.

Uvogin paused mid-battle to emit an impressed whistle, then continued bashing the people around him.

As if sensing the danger and the impossibility of defeating the group of four, the leader of the assault group barked a few orders, telling them to retreat. But soon as the words left him, he was already dead, Freya having knocked him out cold with a swift chop to the neck.

The rest, well, was tidied up accordingly. And another successful heist went under their belt.

...

Later that night, during their silent travels back to their base in Meteor City, Shalnark sought Freya out.

She was, as he had expected, back to her usual self, chirpily striking conversations with Uvo and Nobu before coming over to chat with himself.

"Did you remember what happened during the heist?" He started.

The same wave of Killing Intent, though significantly thinned down, flushed out from Freya, so brief that had Shalnark not seen Nobu resting a hand on the hilt of his sword, Uvo raising a fist, or even himself taking a casual battle stance, he would have missed it.

The Killing Intent dissipated as Freya blinked. Once. Twice.

Then she laughed.

"Of course I do! Still feels weird about it, though." She grinned, but this grin was so much unlike the one Shalnark had seen during the heist. "Oh, and sorry about that. Can't seem to control myself for a sec."

And the four resumed their walks, with Freya cheerfully talking and laughing.

Shalnark thought that, maybe, he had discovered that she had a split personality.

Spiders had their own ways to cope with the colour red after all.

* * *

**Hello everybody!**

**Don't give me that pout! I know this isn't a chapter and you guys are dying to read the main story. But ahh well, I need to do a bit of explanation here.**

**As you had known from my above story, yes, Freya had developed a split personality to cope with blood and gore, much like Killua's (as I have dubbed,) 'dark' mode. Like the assassin mode, whatever you choose to name it.**

**I have CAMP starting tomorrow, so the next update might be a bit later... Sorry guys!**

**I HAVE ALSO DECIDED TO UPDATE SLOWER!**

**At least I'll increase lengths for normal chapters. Omakes are extremely hard to write looonnngggg.**

**Review Question:**

**If, and I said _IF_, there is a pairing for this story, who do you suggest with Freya? I said IF ahh! Not 100% confirm! Just maybe only!**

* * *

**Review Replies:**

**Retz (guest): Whattt?! You watched it in a cinema! Damn jealous now! I also wanna waaatttccchhh~ Oh well... I'll wait (im)patiently for the 'watch free online' version to air. Can't wait! Yepp I'll be updating slower now... Will try my best to put more words! Haha I don't even think my parents know about me using Fanfic :P**

**Zuta-chan: Hello:D I tried both websites, but they haven't air! (Cries in a corner) I shall, and I WILL wait for the movie to hurry out and air! Currently my chapter updates are once a week... Though next week might be a bit later than usual, cuz I have camp... (Laughs nervously) Well! See ya next time!**

**AND a big THANKS to all reviewers, followers, and favourites! You keep my story alive!**


	9. I Pass the Trick Tower

Chapter 7

I pass the Trick Tower

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In the end, Netero still slowed the speed of the blimp to delay the time of the Third Phrase, seeing how exhausted Gon and Killua were. They managed to get him to use all his limbs, and Gon had blacked out from tiredness, and Killua followed suit. I carried the both of them back to the rooms where we were assigned to sleep in, and even my breathing had slowed to match theirs gradually.

When I had wakened up, everyone was ever-so-ready for the upcoming phrase.

"Everyone, the exam's Third Phrase will begin here, at the top of Trick Tower. In order to pass this phrase, you have to reach the base of this tower by seventy-two hours."

After explaining finish the rules, Bean promptly left with the airship, leaving the lot of us.

I had tried to wander away from the group (Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio) once, but Killua had drug me back with a fierceness I knew I wouldn't be able to counter. _It was just like that time I dragged him to his own birthday party_, I thought.

I had introduced myself to Leorio and Kurapika, but since I hadn't tricked them with the 'Machi' prank, I had just used my name straight away. Still being a bit jittery around Kurapika, but nothing I couldn't handle, after so many years of training. Of course, there was a bit of a trust problem, but that was expected, especially with Leorio and Kurapika. What did I say? Only these two would doubt anything I had done, but that was predictable, since Gon would never question anyone, and Killua, well, knew me enough.

Needless to say, I ended up replacing Tonpa's original placing in canon for good.

"Freya," Killua whined. "Can't you just use your teleportation thing to help us reach the bottom?"

Over the shouts of "she can... Say what?!" And "that's awesome, Freya!", I managed to shrugged my shoulders and gave a vague explanation that the walls couldn't allow me to pass through, when all the while I had been lying through my teeth.

"And what's the fun of doing that? We'll be stuck at the bottom of the tower with nothing to do until the time limit is up!" I added, knowing exactly what strings to pull.

"True."

The two of us ignored Leorio's shouts in the background, deciding instead, to focus on the presented question at hand.

* * *

And so, the famed 5 VS 5 battle, I droned in my mind, stifling a yawn.

"Before you are some of Trick Tower's prisoners," Lippo, the examiner of the Third Phrase, broadcasted, informing us of the general rules. "The Hunter Committee has also officially hired them as examiners. You would be fighting against the five of them. The fights will be one-on-one. Each person may only fight once. You're free to use any method you like. There will be no draws. A win is declared when the opponent admits defeat."

The first prisoner, just like in canon, was the bald guy who went against Tonpa. After the shackles had been removed, he had been rubbing his wrists and flexing his shoulders to enjoy the little bit of freedom.

"You may pick your order," he began. "It's majority rules. Secure three wins, and you may pass."

The prison warden gave us an elaboration of what was really happening, like for every hour the prisoners delayed, their sentence would be shortened by one year. I didn't quite care about it, because all we need to do was to secure three victories ASAP to get to the checkpoint quickly.

The first prisoner was introduced as Bendot, a criminal serving 199 years. Half-heartedly, I wondered if all the prisoners in Trick Tower was given impossible sentences so that the Hunter Association could make them do 'community work'.

"I'll go first," I announced, and paraphrasing what Tonpa had said in canon, I reasoned, "you guys don't actually trust me, right? It'll be better if I go now, then be the tiebreaker when the score is 2-2."

"But... You're a kid! And a girl!"

I felt something akin to a tick mark appearing on my forehead, and my brain filtered out the unnecessary guffaws of Killua as he clutched his sides and rolled on the floor, uncaring about the fact that he was getting dirt on his clothes.

"You guys... Should _totally_ watch those matches she fought back in the arena," Killua said, wiping away the tears being squeezed out of his eyes in his moment of extreme laughter. "And she had been way stronger since the day we parted ways."

The three gave me curious looks, while I just shrugged and walked at a moderate and calm pace to the platform.

"How shall we do this?" I asked politely.

"I propose a death match," Bendot declared boldly. "And don't expect me to go soft on you just because you're a kid."

"Wouldn't dream of it," I smirked. "But what if either of us fainted? Or fell off this platform?"

I knew very well that the psychologist gambler in their team would make use of that chance, and I really wouldn't want to waste 50 hours in a room doing nothing.

"There is no way up from this," Bendot gestured at the pit of black. "So we can assume that whoever falls into it would be declared dead, and the point would be given to the other team. As for being unconscious... Well I have proposed a _death_ match."

If anything, the way he stressed on the 'death' word indicated his respond to it.

I sighed. "And I was still thinking maybe I could spare your life or something," I murmured.

Apparently, he didn't catch any word I had said, or chose to ignore them.

"I accept. Begin at your command."

And that moment he uttered that single word, he found himself free-falling to his death.

* * *

"You've become faster since the last time, too," Killua noted, as I walked back from the platform to his side. "I could barely see you grabbing him and dropping him into the pit. I only knew you did that because I know you would."

"Thanks for the compliment," I said dryly, shrugging my shoulders and turning around to face the opponent team. "Whose going next?"

There was an exchange of hushed words at the opponent's side, but sure enough, a figure began to walk towards the stone platform.

"I'll go next!" Gon volunteered, raising a hand above his head.

Everyone (on our side) was looking at Gon. Two blinks later, Leorio, his hands on his hips asked with considerably lesser worry than he had with me (sexist bastards...) and after Gon had reaffirmed it, they gave words of encouragements as Gon put his bag down and walked towards the platform.

Strange, as I noted that the figure had yet to remove the cloak and hood before he had gone to the platform. The pale blue colour of his hand, as well as his masculinity of the figure from what I could observe, was sending warning bells in my mind.

Wasn't Gon supposed to go against some lean and weak-looking prisoner with the two candles?

"Shit," I cursed, realising what the turn of events were. "Actually, _screw this_."

I earned myself plenty of looks, and I waved a hand at them dismissively.

Maybe my easy victory had raised awareness in the opponent? Sedokan, the serial bomber Gon was supposed to face off in canon, might have won easily in a match of his dirty tricks, but Majitani, given that he won, would have an effect on the whole team's morale.

I supposed my own little musings were enough, as the gasp from Leorio as he saw Majitani's face pulled me back to reality. Kurapika was silently assessing the situation from the sidelines, and Killua was just looking bored.

Gon just blinked. Once. Twice. While the blue man with the deformed face from a failed surgery laughed his head off like a madman. Actually, I hoped it was on literal term, then Gon would be our second win and we can proceed faster.

Apparently, someone who was definitely not supposed to be in this world, was standing upon the soils of this very ground.

Which was, namely, _me_.

Hana gave one of her usual sighs saved for these thoughts of mine, but she never said anything.

She knew, and I knew, and she had known that I understood what my purpose was in this world.

Majitani tried to appear menacing by throwing back his disfigured face and laughing his creepy laughter, while Gon just eyed him with a pure curious look.

"Ano, can we start now?"

Majitani stopped laughing abruptly, a noticeable drop of sweat hanging on the side of his head. Probably thinking about how the kid wasn't scared and/or that the kid was actually trying to act in front of his friends.

"Ghahaha! Last chance to back off, kid!" He continued his act, but seeing that Gon had not budge a single inch from his spot, he sucked a breath in, and just like in the anime, he forced his muscle to bulge and make him appear tough.

_Barking dogs never bites,_ I commented in my mind, amused.

"Oi, oi. Is Gon going to be okay. This guy looks dangerous." Leorio's eyes were fixed on the stadium, and his words laced with worry.

"Nah he'd be alright," I droned, "but whether..." I drifted off, unable to finish that sentence.

But whether Kurapika would be is another story.

Majitani jumped into the air.

"I'll see you dead!" He bellowed, clenching his right fist into ready position.

I could see Gon bent his knees slightly in anticipation. He hopped back, two arms shielding himself from pieces of flying rubbles as Majitani brought down his hands in a battlecry, breaking a small part of the stone platform where Gon had been just seconds earlier.

"He made a hole in ground with his bare fist," Leorio said in disbelief, eyes transfixed on the area where Majitani's hand had been planted.

"No shit," I commented dryly at the side, "I've seen people capable of greater feats."

Either I had been too soft, or the three chose to ignore my comment. I stifled a yawn, and I found Killua doing the same, eyes half-lidded and obviously trying not to fall asleep from this bland match.

The blue man lifted his fist from the broken tiles, all the while I was reading off his inner thoughts like an open book.

"Don't even think abo–" I started, but was too late, Majitani having turned his back towards us in a fit of arrogance.

I brought my palm onto my face, wondering when can people stop being so stupid.

Beside me, an audible sharp intake of breath came from Kurapika.

_Aaaannndddd, Majitani's gonna kiss the floor._

There was a tense moment where neither of us moved, only Leorio filling us up with the information he knew about the Spider tattoo, only to shut up with a pointed look I sent in his direction.

Kurapika was also, very noticeably, shaking. In anger.

I dully noted the several grave mistakes Majitani made in this short period of time. The opening of the punch to the floor was too big. Not to mention it took _too_ long to recover. And oh, he should never had exposed his back to his opponent. Never trust someone who would put a fist or knife with your back, after all.

Around a hundred ways to end this match mentally sprouted out in my mind, but I weeded the majority off and only again reminded myself that I wasn't in any dire situation and it wasn't my match.

"What's wrong," Majitani mocked not even bothering to turn around to face his opponent properly (inwardly, I was scoffing how he could make so many mistakes and still survived), seeing Gon all silent and unmoving from his initial spot. "Can't talk?"

And before he could even carry on to do the very fake title that he bluffed in Canon, Kurapika was gone.

Well, he wasn't gone, because the big gap between the platform on where the two fought and where the rest of us stood served a purpose. But his twin Kurutian swords was already flying in the speed of light, towards the dead centre of the spider tattoo.

What could I say? It was _really_ lucky for Majitani that Kurapika had used the blunt ends of the wooden blades instead of the tips. With that amount of power, it could even make a kill.

"One," Kurapike managed to begin, his voice barely containing a seething calm rage, "a real Phantom Troupe tattoo has the member's number on the spider. Two, they don't bother counting how many they've killed."

The air was heavy, and Kurapika's eyes shone a glistening crimson.

"Third. Don't ever mention the Troupe. If you do, I'll kill you."

The majority of the group had involuntarily taken some steps away from the red-eyed blond, and even Killua had put down his hands, which had been behind his head casually just a few moments ago. Gon on the platform, was also casting worried looks in our direction.

Then, in this most tensed moment, the broadcast somewhere in the room actually buzzed.

"Disqualified," came Lippo's clipped tone, "this match is disqualified due to interference."

And a point was added to the opponent team.

Immediately, my mind registered and I was the first one to stumble a "_ehhhhhh?!_" And the others were fending equal exclaim of whatever they were feeling.

"I've seen that coming," Killua said, and looked like he could say more, but he was quickly silenced with a glare I shot him.

"That's a match we could have won easily!" I pushed my hands onto my temple in comical disappointment. "We could have just have Gon beat him or something, then you and Kurapika could surely win at anything they decided to throw at us."

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean, kid!" Leorio scrunched up his nose, hands on his hips and his temper already spiked.

_Exactly what I had meant,_ I wanted to bite back, but recalling what exactly the Trick Tower wanted, decided against spreading it into an argument, settling instead to watch Gon as he walked back to out side, hand scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Sorry guys, I'm disqualified."

"It's not your fault." Kurapika shook his head apologetically. "Mine to blame."

"Nobody would blame you," I murmured, words drifting in a tone akin to what Hana always spoke to me with.

* * *

"Okay! I'll finish this," Leorio declared with a self assuring nod. Pointing an index finger at the unconscious Majitani on the floor, he demanded, "toss that guy out, and send in the next opponent!"

My senses was on creep-alert, as it responded to the creep-laughter.

_That could actually enter my personally held contest of creepy laughter, _I mused, but after thinking about spiders and magicians, I chucked that idea out of the window.

"We can't do that," the only female, Leroute, in the opponent's team stated, riling up the short-tempered Leorio without any problem. "We can't move him yet, because his match hasn't been settled."

"The match hasn't been settled?" Leorio echoed in incredulity, "what do you mean?"

Leroute only walked over to Majitani, squatting down as if to examine his body, but I had already known what she was doing.

"He's still alive," she announced, as a-matter-of-fact. "Only knocked out."

I could see where this was heading, so I added my opinion to the mix. "The match was already settled. We were disqualified, as he said." I gestured towards the general direction of the broadcaster.

"That's right!" Leorio shouted across, siding with me for once. "So clear it up!"

"Why don't we make a bet?"

And all my efforts had gone to waste.

"Can I ask a question first?" I raised a hand for attention, directing the question at the Third Phrase Examiner.

"Go ahead."

"You know, the last match we're disqualified, so can Kurapika still fight?"

There was a slight pause as the broadcast buzzed.

"Do you mind, prisoners?"

I mentally winced at how bluntly Lippo addressed them, but schooled my face into a careful blank.

There was murmurings at the other side of the room, and then Sedokan took a step forward.

"We don't mind."

And I grinned again.

* * *

I put the palms of my hand behind my head, and threw myself back on one of the black sofas in the room.

"Damn Leorio," I muttered, but the silence of the room amplified it by several times, reaching it into the ears of every occupants.

"Damn Leorio," Killua agreed as he echoed, Kurapika nodding as a sign of mutual agreement.

A vein bulged in the temples of said Leorio.

"Oi oi! I can hear that, you two," he snarled, but with no real malice, because well, damn him for losing to Leroute even after I shouted the gamble questions to ask and answers to give, he still lost, just like in Canon.

So, I flung my hood off from my face (I was napping) and gave him my deadpan look.

He sweatdropped.

"Okay, okay! You win, happy?" Leorio huffed, plopping down on the only wooden chair in the room which didn't seem like it would break any moment.

I only draped my cloak around me and pulled up my hood, snuggling down in it and planning for another nap.

Only to be disturbed a second later.

"Freyaaa!" Gon whined, peering into my line of vision. "Let's play something. We're bored!"

I took a few moment to stare Gon, who was in return looking at my expectedly with sparkles in his eyes, then at Killua, who had his arms folded and eyes focused on a wall. When I cast my loo on Gon again, I could swear the sparkles had increased tenfold.

"... Fine."

And while Gon punched both of his fists into the air with a shout of "Yatta!", I silently noted to ask said boy to teach me how did he mastered the art of the sparkles.

* * *

"Gon," I said, after rounds of overused scissors-paper-stone and games of tag, and the boy wiped looked at me. "Your voice... I finally remember why it seems so familiar."

"Huh?"

"Ne, say this." And I handed over a piece of paper, words written on it in pencil. "Try saying it, hmmm, with a deeper voice. And make it sound less like you."

"Less like me?" Gon scrunched up his face into a cute frown, and I found it difficult to keep that smile off my face.

"Just do it," I said offhandedly.

"Okay," Gon nodded, and scanning the paper, then looking at the anticipating me, he read. "One day, I'll be the Hokage, -ttebayo!"

And I could no longer control my inner fangirl.

* * *

Well, so to briefly retell the matches, I had won the first one, Gon was disqualified due to Kurapika's interference, Leorio epically failed his, and Killua, needless to say, totally _pwned_ the last one against Jones. Kurapika had been against Sedokan, the serial bomber who was supposed to be matched with Gon in Canon.

I had convinced him to take the long candle, saying that "_considering there was a trap in both candles, the longer one would still take longer to melt completely..._" And he had listened to me, which warmed my heart a little, because from the HxH series, Kurapika had been hesitant to trust other people. Then again, maybe what I had said make sense, so he just heeded my advice.

Seeing how much I screwed the Trick Tower plot already, I decided to just tell Kurapika to cut off the candlewick of Sedokan, and thus securing a point.

Somewhere between the matches, in my own inner musings, I realised that Gon's seiyuu was Naruto's, and that moment of realisation hit me so much that even Kurapika was raising an eyebrow at my reaction (which consisted of eyes almost popping out, followed by a huge amount of noise like squealing, screaming, and whatsoever).

Embarrassed, I only coughed lightly into the palm of my hand and offered a smile after a quick recovery.

So now, even though we had won, due to Leorio's lewdness we were stuck here wasting hours upon hours doing absolutely nothing while all the other participants were out there getting their asses to the bottom floor.

I leaned back across the couch I had dominated since we entered the room, and thought of my future. My future, you know? Not _the_ future but _mine_. Like how exactly was I going to return home? I had come here by falling down the stairs, and I wasn't that keen on trying my luck by randomly falling off stairs.

Well, I did try out that once, purposely stumbling and sending myself rolling down the path of agony. However, my instincts usually kicked in at the last moments and I either hardened myself with Ko, or landing myself in a way that didn't hurt. For the few times I actually managed to get myself not to do anything, I had ended up in a miserable state, rubbing whatever sore spot while whimpering like a wounded animal.

There were embarrassing times which I had forgotten to check my surroundings for people, or those times where one of the Spiders were finding me, I had never once escaped their teasing without a burning on my cheeks.

And there were times I came up with theories, that my Body Flicker originated from my initial incident of 'Dimension Hopping', so I tried pooling as much nen as I could manage, and released them all at once.

... Let's just say that the result was an epic failure, and leave it like that.

As you all could see, I had lost all kind of traces I sniffed out, and I could only gamble on the 'Dark Continent' theory.

I stretched, having slept too much and losing the ability to sleep any further, and slouched to the toliet. The first day spent in this room had taught me a lesson (not the hard way, thankfully) that toilets should be checked first before doing anything, and we should always lock the door when using it.

(Kurapika had been the first victim, and I would not go into the details, period.)

I took a shower, and for a while I allowed myself to forget my worries. When I was done, I realised I had woken up at an odd timing, and the others were all asleep.

Well, almost all the others were asleep.

I chewed on my inner cheeks, but I caught myself doing this several times when I was nervous, so I forced myself to drop it and noted to never do it again.

Considering my current situation, I had three choices. One, sleep. But I immediately crossed that out. Second, ignore him. Third, interact with him.

The second option was too rude, and I didn't have the heart to, after so many years of leaving him alone. Thinking about that brought a pang to my heart and I winced inwardly.

Mentally, I sighed, since I left myself with no choices, and I made myself comfortable beside Kurapika, who didn't look up from his books. I picked up a book from a stack in front of him, found my trustworthy cloak and wrapped it around myself.

A moment later, I found the book I was reading (a romance story, and I simply didn't do romance) bland and cliché, so I huffed and tossed the book back to Kurapika's stack with flick of my wrist.

"Not your taste?" Kurapika asked.

"Try reading, and you'll feel me," I replied.

He put down the book he had been reading, and picked up the one I specified, and skimmed through the faded, yellow pages.

"I think it's not bad," he commented, and for a split second I thought he was joking with me, but it had sunk in that he wasn't, so I jerked my head, twisting my neck at a speed which sent my hair whipping onto my face painfully.

_Don't tell me... Kura-nii..._

"Actually, I feel that the story is kind of sweet..." Kurapika continued on like he never actually noticed my reaction. "Their meeting is very fateful too..."

I felt as if my world was tipped off its axis.

"... You're hopeless..." I was at a loss for words.

_What happened in all those years I've not seen you_? I sniffed.

"What's wrong, Freya?"

"A-absolutely n-nothing!" I stuttered.

See the _amount_ of shock passing through me?

There was a temporary lull as silence regained itself, but this time, Kurapika was the one who started.

"Why do you want to become a Hunter?" He asked, but I was not that naïve to miss the calculating edge to his gaze.

So I tilted my head, and with full use of this child body of Hana, blinked slowly as if to process the question.

"To explore the world!" I declared with a fit of childishness, influence courtesy of Gon.

I seemed to have clear some sort of test because Kurapika became less guarded, and even though he tried to cover it, I had picked it up from every little body languages, like how a breath was released and the ends of his lips curled up in a friendly — and not just his normal polite — smile.

It was nothing close to what Kurapika had showered Pario and I with during our childhood, but it was at least one step closer towards it.

I didn't realise that I, too, had a smile on my fact until my face muscle ached.

Kurapika gently shut the romance novel and set it aside, and laid back onto the wall.

"Freya, you know about the Scarlet Eyes?"

This, was kinda off from my expectation of how thing would go. But I couldn't tell him just yet, so I called forth my poker face and wore it.

"They are the distinctive trait of a Kuruta Clan member," I stated, but I found myself distant, almost as if I was watching a movie. It was just another effect of the poker face which I has honed along the years. "It is said that when a Kurutian transverse by a very strong feeling, his eyes will become crimson as if on fire. If he dies in that state, the eyes will stay in that colour. The eye in that state is being referred to as the Scarlet Eyes, one of the seven most beautiful things in the world."

I drew a long breath.

"The Scarlet Eyes had make my clan members fall prey to the Phantom Troupe," Kurapika began, voice laced with sadness. "I witnessed the... massacre, and I had watched Pario, my cousin and best friend, his eyes being gouged off."

The only sounds in the room was the constant exchange of breaths of our sleeping companions.

Inwardly, my mind was processing everything which he had said. Why had he told me about Pario? In the show, he hadn't been so close to the others to tell them about his childhood (well Pario was considered his childhood friend) until a very long time later, so why was he telling me this?

And most importantly, how am I supposed to react?!

So instead, I averted my eyes.

"I... have a similar experience," I said, allowing myself to drown momentarily in memories, and then regained eye contact with my cousin-brother.

I felt that maybe he had liked my response, but he did not say anything afterwards, and neither did I.

The room returned to its comfortable silence.

That night, when I slept, I dreamt of lush forests and huge ostrich-like birds. Of two families, one that I had known for all my life and the other I had grown to treasure.

* * *

"PILLOW FIGHT!"

And chaos ensued.

* * *

As dangerous as it was, the Trick Tower was by far, my favourite phrase of the examination. It was thrilling and action-packed, yet somehow I liked it as much as the heists I participated with the Spiders.

The traps were creative too. Besides the usual 'boulder-rolling-after-you-so-run-for-your-life' and 'floor-tiles-dropping-you-to-your-death', they also had stuff like sitting on a mine-cart and deciding which route to take. We, unfortunately chose the one which was a dead end, but I supposed we did advanced several floors downwards because of this.

The most impressive one was a long corridor, about the breadth of a football field. The corridor was dominantly white, but my suspicion was raised when I took notice of dried blood which had caked on the floor and the sides of the wall. My suspicion was confirmed, however, when we were one-third across and the walls started closing on us.

The rest of the journey through the corridor was a full-speed sprint for our dear lives. I, of course, did not cheat.

Then, there was the final stop. The decision of choosing between your friends or dream.

Leorio was the first to voice his thoughts. Despite us having around two hours of time left (I wasn't sure what made the extra hour, but I wasn't going to question it), it was obviously not enough for the 45-hours route. So he announced that he would choose 'X', the short and easy path, with no intention of being left behind.

Killua's choice was the same as Leorio, but the only difference was that he insisted on the three of us, Gon, me, and him, to be the ones who walked through the door. I was a bit surprised, because it didn't cross my mind that he viewed my friendship as much as Gon. And by that, it actually meant a lot.

When I was still in my primary school (on Earth) and I happened to come across the first few volumes of the manga, I hadn't thought much about their friendship. However, as I started watching the anime when I was scouting for entertainment (I soon got hooked up on the series, and went on to read the manga and the 1999 anime), I had dug deeper and soon realise that Killua wasn't so simple.

During the final phrase of the Hunter Exam, Illumi had said that Killua was "just a dark puppet, passionless." And I couldn't quite disagree fully. 'Passionless' is referring to the lack of emotion, or the fact that Killua, as an assassin, killed his targets emotionlessly without qualms, nothing someone would expect from a child. The fact that Killua had, in the anime, murdered the two exam participants back in the blimp just because he had been bumped at the worst time, had proved much. The meeting of him and Gon due to the Hunter Exam was probably what saved Killua from becoming a puppet and guided him back to being human again.

I wasn't as smart as some of the geniuses around here, nor was I so dumb. I could see that Killua practically worshipped Gon in the anime, but with me inside the equation, things might be different, this time.

The Ripple Effect, is it? I sighed mentally, as my body unconsciously shifted itself into a casual battle stance, sensing the tense atmosphere which was so thick my kunai could probably slice through it like butter. Especially now that they had no Tonpa to take an axe and destroy walls. Well, since I had messed up the Hunter Exam arc already, maybe I should just tell them to make a hole in the wall.

I toyed with that idea for a while, observing the others. Leorio seemed pretty determined to fight, and Killua too. Gon was really insistent of the long path, and Kurapika had his hands on the two wooden sword on his hips.

"That's _it_!"

Gon's sudden exclamation captured the attention of everyone, and even I tilted my head in curiosity. If this Gon had been able to come up with that 'make-a-hole-in-the-wall' idea even without Tonpa's axe-swinging session, then it was a sign that the plot was officially gonna side-track.

"What's it, Gon?" Kurapika prompted.

"Killua, you've mentioned that Freya can teleport, right?"

I blinked. Ahh, I see where this is going.

"I call that the '_Body Flicker_'," I cut in before Killua could answer, grinning proudly at the perfect example of plagiarism. At least nobody could sue me for that, since nobody had known the Naruto-verse. Ha, suckers~

By then, the occupants of the room had already gotten the outline of Gon's idea.

"That technique you did back at the arena?" Killua asked.

"Yup, that one."

"I see. That's quite useful." Killua nodded.

"So everyone, let's press O!" Gon declared happily.

"Wa-Wait! What's happening here! What's her teleportation got to do with anything?"

Apparently, someone's IQ wasn't on par with us.

Leorio glanced from Gon, to Killua, to Kurapika, and finally, me. All of us had similar facepalms while Gon blinked twice and started explaining to him.

"You see, we can ask Freya to teleport us through the wall. That way, all of us can make it in time!" Gon said, a sparkly smile on his face. Seeing Leorio's puzzled face, he quickly elaborated. "We should press O, then when the door open, we can teleport through the walls to take the X (short) path."

Needless to say, we passed this phrase.

* * *

**Whew... And that's Trick Tower. Felt damn bad not updating for like, so long! (Dodges rotten eggs and tomatoes) Sorry guys!**

**I'm thinking of updating the Spider's Interludes, featuring every single one of them. Currently, I've posted Shalnarks' already, and I'm halfway done on Machi (that one is pretty cool, trust me:3) and I'm thinking of Feitan and Phinks... But there isn't a lot to talk/write about the rest of the Spiders...If you have some idea, and feel like sharing, suggest to me? (pulls on the puppy-dog eyes)**

**So erm, that shall be the Review Question:**

**_Any ideas on the Spider's Interludes? Or/And any other scenes you want to see on my OMAKES?_**

* * *

**Review Replies (yesh yesh I feel so happy reading them all!)**

**Retz (guest): Hello:D Thanks for reviewing in such an urgent time! (bows) Sorry for late chapter, yeah. Hope you enjoy this one. Exam ending in next chapter! (Grins happily)**

**Zuta-chan: Yupp, the movie haven't aired. I'm like, stalking it every single day on the internet. Hope you enjoy this chapter anyway;)**

**Misty April: Thanks for the support:) Here's another chapter:DD**

**Arcaelia: The split personality will come to play in the future of this story. Yes it's important detail;) It is also one of Freya's ways to deal with killing. Hope you enjoy this chapter:D**

**Keeperofhounds: I have that idea somewhere too, and even considered it to be one of Freya's nen trait for sometime, but then I realise too many people in HxH world are that kind like Kuroro and Leol, so I decide to come up with another one. The Body Flicker isn't all to Freya's skill slot! (Oops, spoiler;)) Just you watch... Or read on!**

** .73: Thanks for the compliment:D and yup I agree that there isn't a lot of originality now. But I've already made plans for future chapters to allow Freya to throw the whole plot off its course;) Well maybe not that extreme... Thanks for dropping by:)**

**THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READS THIS! And all Favourite, Follower, and Reviews! But always remember, reviewing is the way for an author to get her finger typing away;)**


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